Heroes and Thieves
by Jac Danvers
Summary: In the aftermath of war, Alicia Spinnet can't escape the horrors inflicted by one of the Death Eaters. Charlie Weasley is shocked by the changes in the girl he once knew, and invites her to Romania to recover. Will her desire for revenge prevent new love?
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all associated characters belongs to the talented J.K. Rowling. This chapter takes one line from the book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows_._ The song "Heroes and Thieves" belongs to Vanessa Carlton. **

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**Prologue**

_When disaster, it strikes on a daily basis_

_I'm looking for wisdom in all the wrong places…_

_Heroes and thieves at my door_

_I can't seem to tell them apart anymore_

_-_Vanessa Carlton

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"Do you have your wand close by?" Parthenia Malkin asked, looking up at the chartreuse dress robes she was hemming. Her eyes were filled with worry, her wrinkled forehead more creased than usual. Busy though she was, Madame Malkin was like a second mother to her newest employee.

Alicia Spinnet pulled the willow-wood wand from her pocket, twirling it around her fingers gracefully. "Very good dear. Now get home, and make sure you put up extra wards. I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night Parthenia!" Alicia replied. "Stay safe!"

Pulling open the wooden shop door, she exited the building quickly so the older woman would not get cold.

Wrapping her robes tighter around her shoulders, her fingers not straying far from her wand, Alicia observed the lonely, deserted Diagon Alley. Few, if any, shops remained open after Flourish & Blotts and Fortescue's had been destroyed by the Dementors. Even the bright colors and glimmering lights of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes had dimmed substantially. Alicia gave Parthenia a lot of credit- the old woman was brave to continue opening her shop ever day, not to mention keeping her on as an employee.

It was late March, practically April, but the presence of the Dementors within the shopping center , in addition to the generally damp, depressing weather, caused her to shiver ever time she stepped outside her house. Not that that was a frequent occurrence these days. Being muggle-born, she walked around with a target on her back. She risked it nonetheless- she was determined to keep some semblance of a normal life.

She power-walked towards the safe point for apparition, the noise of crumpled paper brushing the pavement and empty tin cans being blown in the wind making her jump. The burnt wooden remnants of what were once the walls of Flourish and Blotts cast eerie shadows. It was everything she'd experienced watching old horror movies with her parents as a child.

_Stop being so paranoid, woman,_ she scolded herself. _Keep your head down- no one will know who you are._

Good advice, except that a soft, scuffling noise on the pavement convinced her there was very good reason to be neurotic. Turning her head just slightly to glance behind, she saw nothing but rain drenched pavement.

_You're alright, no one is behind you. Just two blocks to the apparition point, and you're home free._ The voice in her head was not doing much to comfort her as she heard the noise again. _It's a cat. Just a cat. A completely harmless—_

"Little Miss Alicia, I see your eyebrows are back to their normal size."

The voice that broke through the darkness was deep and gravely, the speaker vaguely familiar. She stopped in her path. Time had passed since she heard the voice, and she struggled to put a name to it. One thing she knew for certain: it was not a friend.

She never had a chance to turn and see who stood behind her. Alicia couldn't discern the man's whispered words, but she felt the sting of the spell hitting her back. Her mind went blank, all her worldly concerns and worries gone.

O O O

The hardwood floor was cool to the touch, easing the pain that coursed slowly through her body. As Alicia tried to pick herself up off the ground, she found that ever bone felt broken, every inch of skin bruised. Her head was throbbing. She was neither bound nor restrained.

"What the hell just happened?" she whispered, finding her wand in her pocket.

It seemed odd that someone would attack her, and then leave her free to wander with her wand. Using all her strength, she stood, finding that her robes were gone. The pink argyle polo she wore beneath was stuck to her skin, and looking down, she found it stained with dried blood.

She wasn't sure where she was, but she felt as if she'd been here before. "Lumos," she commanded, and a dim yellow light encompassed the room.

There was no mistaking the atrociously bright, neon-pink wall pain and the small shrine to David Beckham and Pele. The room was her childhood room, in the house her parents had purchased in Gaddley when they married.

"Oh shit!" she breathed, frightened. Ignoring the searing pain, she forced herself to walk. Stumbling from the room, she grasped at the wall with one hand, wand poised to attack anything that stood in her way. There was no possible way that someone could have brought her to this house. It was impossible.

It was supposed to be protected- a safe haven for her muggle family. She was the secret keeper, the only person in the magical world that her parents and three younger siblings could trust. No one but Mr. Weasley, who had helped her complete the complicated spells, knew.

"Mum?" she said shakily, holding onto the wall as she moved toward her parent's room. "Dad?" There was no response.

Entering the dark room, she approached her parents' bed. Both her mother and father lay on their back, arms straight at their side, eyes shut. The stillness in the room seemed like it should go unbroken, but Alicia ignored the feeling. Shaking her father's shoulder, she waited and silently prayed to God, to Merlin, to whatever deity would listen that her father would sit up and ask why she was being so ridiculous.

He didn't.

"Daddy?" Her whisper came out more a whimper, and she tried to collect herself. She reached across the bed to her mother, shaking her as well. Nothing.

Holding back tears, her thoughts went to her siblings. _They wouldn't hurt them. They're too young; they're barely out of grammar school! _Her attempts at rationalization did little to soothe her. If this was the work of the enemy, there was little hope left for any of them.

Moving faster, biting down hard on her lip to keep from shrieking in agony, she entered the oldest, Kyle's, room. The tele was turned on, a late night movie she didn't recognize playing. Race cars and building blocks lay scattered and forgotten on the floor.

On the bed, the three children were laying on top of the blankets. Kyle held the hands of little Evan and Julie. None of them were breathing. She wanted to cry, to sit at their bedside and hold them, but she was in shock.

"WHERE ARE YOU? GET OUT HERE YOU SON OF A BITCH!" she screamed, waving her wand wildly. "Come out here and face me!"

A tall figure emerged from behind the closet door, the television casting just enough light to discern his figure from the darkness of the wall.

"Why?" she managed to say, feeling faint. She'd lost too much blood.

"It was too easy," the man said. "My mater demands we target muggle-borns, and you were always an easy target Spinnet. I seem to remember an incident in the library our sixth year…"

In that instant, she recognized the man who'd killed her family. "Miles Bletchley," she whispered, attempting to remain calm.

"The one and only love. You always _were_ my favorite Gryffindor."

"How did you get in my house?" she demanded, refusing to let herself quake in fear. Her wand was pointed directly at him.

"That's the most fun of this whole game," he replied nonchalantly, as if they were conversing about the weather. "_You _let me in!"

She knew she was gaping in confusion. "Oh dear, Alicia, you're not quite understanding this, are you? Let me put it simply. The curse I hit you with outside Madame Malkin's? It was the Imperius curse. You should be familiar with it, after that incident with Mad-Eye Moody our fifth year. Once I had you under my control, it was just a matter of asking you to bring me home. You complied with my request quite willingly, and then stood by my side as I killed your family. Quite an ingenious plan, my master will be so very happy."

"So now what, Bletchley? You kill me too?"

Silently, she wished he would. She had no idea how she was remaining so collected. The truth of the matter was clear: she'd been weak, had allowed her family to become a target. Her own greed to preserve a normal life in the wizarding world had caused their deaths. Now, death would be welcome for her as well.

He laughed, long and loud, a psychotic laugh that would resonate in her ears for year to come. "No, no Alicia. That would be too simple. No, my punishment for you is much worse. You get to live with the guilt! Their blood is on your hands. You let me in, you didn't stop me. They're dead because you're too weak Alicia. _Crucio!"_

The curse hit her in the center of her chest, and she fell to the ground, her body contorting and twisting. Never before had she felt such burning pain. Streching, shaking, pulling, her body moved in ways that seemed impossible. Then, with one last convulsion, she hit the ground. Bletchley was gone.

On the floor next to her lay her wand. Lifting her arm tentatively, she grasped the smooth wood. "Expecto patronum," she whispered faintly, concentrating hard on the day she'd met four of her five best friends. It was her first day at Hogwarts; the first time she'd seen the Weasley twins pull a prank on the unsuspecting Percy.

From the tip of her wand, a wisp of a gazelle emerged. "Find Fred and George," she whispered. "Tell them to come find me…"

O O O

"_Meanwhile, in Gaddley, a Muggle family of five has been found dead in their home…" _Lee Jordan's strong voice drifted into the living room of Fred and George's flat from over the radio. In the kitchen, Angelina heard a cup drop, and a gasp from Katie.

Alicia's tears, which had been uncontrollable since they found her, now turned into loud sobs. Angelina moved to her side.

"Shh… they're in a better place now, sweets," she cooed, pulling her best friend into a hug while trying to avoid irritating any of her injuries. "Katie, turn off the radio. I think we can miss this edition of Potterwatch."

Katie nodded, and bustled off to do as Angelina asked.

"Don't worry, 'Leesh. Your secret is safe with us. No one will know what happened tonight. I promise."

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**Hey there everyone! This is my first attempt at a longer Harry Potter fic. The idea for this story has been rolling around in my head ever since I first read the Potterwatch scene in Deathly Hallows. Any constructive criticism that you can offer is greatly appreciated! Thank you so much for taking the time to read. The next installment will be coming soon! **

**All the best! Jac**


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, it belongs to the talented JK Rowling. Lyrics are from the song "Little Miss Obsessive" by Ashlee Simpson.**

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**Chapter One**

_Late night you make me feel like I'm desperate_

_I'm not desperate_

_A little bit possessive, little Miss Obsessive_

_Can't get over it…_

-Ashlee Simpson

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"King's Cross in the middle of the bloody afternoon," Marcus Flint mumbled to himself as he pushed through the crowds of anxious travelers, yanking on the blue and gold tie around his neck that was constricting his breathing. "This is ridiculous."

He spotted the person he was looking for. Standing within the crowd, the young socialite tottered precariously on her pristine white high heels. The unnaturally blonde-haired woman wore her bug-eyed sunglasses inside, and a pink and white polka dot sundress. In one hand she carried an oversized tote bag. The other held a poster-board sign that read "Welcome Home Gavin," decorated with bright colors and sparkles. Perhaps Gavin was a friend returning from abroad, perhaps a boyfriend in the army.

Or perhaps it was a complete fake, part of a ruse to ensnare rogue Death Eaters.

"What are you dressed as Spinnet?"

She started at the familiar voice. "Marcus! I _knew _you would come! Kingsley didn't think you would, being that you're so damned busy at the bank. But you've never let me down before." She smiled a rare smile, which in turn almost made Marcus smile. Almost.

"And don't mock the dress, blockhead, it's called undercover for a reason." Holding back from giving him the hug she wished to bestow, she handed him the sign to hold.

Fishing through the tote-bag Alicia pulled out a stuffed day-planner. Marcus recognized it, though he did not know what it contained. She'd been carrying that book with her constantly for well over two years, despite the fact that the dates on the front cover indicated that the book only held pages for one.

"Sparkles?" he asked with raised eyebrows, looking at the sign. _The things I do for friendship, he thought. _With a huff, he lifted above his head. "Don't we have aurors to do this kind of work?"

"They're spread thinly enough as it is, Marc. There aren't enough for all these new attacks. After all the Order of the Phoenix did for us, I think the least that we can do is work these assignments."

Marcus nodded, the real reason that Alicia was participating in the sting operation remaining unspoken between the two.

O O O

Alicia and Marcus's involvement in the Order of the Phoenix began late in the war, as had their at-first cautious (but now incredibly strong) friendship. When he'd shown up at the door of Fred and George Weasley's flat just an hour after the attack, Alicia was all but certain he was coming to finish Bletchley's botched job. Frankly, she hoped he was going to kill her, but she knew Katie and Angelina would never allow it.

Instead, Marcus tossed his wand on the floor, walking through the doorway with hands raised. The three girls had been shocked.

"I had him," he'd said, voice barely above a whisper. "I had him in my damned hands, and I let him get away. He came into my flat bragging about it, like it would convince me to join up. I… I tried to stop him, but… blood hell Alicia, I'm so sorry."

Alicia looked on from the couch like an outsider, still shell-shocked and half-unconscious from the brutal attack she'd endured, as Katie drew her wand and cried "Petrificus totalis!"

Angelina, meanwhile, flooed the only person she thought could give them an answer: Kingsley Shacklebolt. Since joining the Order of the Phoenix, they'd been working closely with the older man. From him, they learned that, indeed, Marcus Flint had reported the death of five muggles at the hands of one Miles Bletchley.

Fred, George, and Lee had returned to the flat that night to find Alicia fast asleep on the couch, and one of their childhood arch-nemesis chatting strategy and the future over fire whiskey.

By week's end, Alicia and Marcus were indoctrinated into the Order.

O O O

"Is it just us today?" Marcus asked, pulling himself out of his thoughts. He felt Alicia's hands moving over his chest, adjusting the poorly knotted tie of his business suit. He noticed her eyes gazing over his shoulder, looking for any suspicious behavior.

"He said there were others, not sure who. I think he mentioned George, but it seemed a bit odd, considering the man is getting married tomorrow." There was a slight inflection in her voice that betrayed a shadow of bitterness, which he chose for the time being to ignore.

"Cho'll kill him if he gets himself killed two days before her wedding," Marcus attempted to joke, but neither laughed. The soon-to-be newlyweds had seen too much death between them. "So Kingsley expects this to be big then?"

"We're hoping to capture two or three of those bastards," a third voice chimed in. Alicia looked up, and Marcus noticed that her hand had instinctively gone for her wand.

The only indication that Charlie Weasley had arrived were the tufts of red hair that escaped from under his ridiculous-looking baseball cap. He looked excited at the prospect of rounding up some Death Eaters. "They're insane to think they have a chance now that You-Know-Who is dead."

"We can talk later," Alicia said, the mention of death bringing about memories of her family. It reminded her why exactly she was at the train station. "Let's go take care of business."

O O O

"Okay boys, three minutes 'til go time," Miles Bletchley said, smoothing his brown hair back. The group of six recruits waited patiently for their instructions. "Enter the station, aim to be inconspicuous. The last thing I need is you idiots blowing this. When the four o'clock train pulls in, wait five minutes, and then we move .We attack for ten minutes, or until there's a sign or aurors. Kill as many as you can. Head for cover and then apparate the headquarters. Hopefully, I will see you all back here."

Five of the six others nodded and began their preparations for battle. The sixth slinked away, sitting down with his head in his hands. "You're not having doubts on me now McLaggen, are you?"

The burly man looked up from his musings. "Hell no, mate. You know this is my life now. I have no regrets."

Miles clasped Cormac's shoulder. "That's right, boy. No regrets. We'll find a way to bring the master back some day. For now, we do this in his memory."

"Absolutely," the other man agreed.

Miles never expected that Cormac McLaggen would be easily convinced that victory and glory lay with Voldemort. It was a belief that got him, personally, through his hardest days at Hogwarts, where it seemed only Snape looked out for the Slytherin students.

When he'd heard word of the Slug Club's foundation, Miles spoke to Blaise Zambini regarding potential recruits among the outstanding students. McLaggen, date to Hermione Granger, had easily been taken in with the promise of power. Just two days after Dumbledore's death, he received the dark mark, his loyalty to their cause unwavering.

Checking his watch, Miles cried, "Ten second warning!" He offered a hand, helping Cormac to his feet. Drawing his wand and concentrating on the men's bathroom near Platform 26, he felt the familiar pull of apparition tearing him away from his hideout.

O O O

The platform was calm as the train from Brighton pulled in. Alicia and the boys had spread out, leaving her standing at the caboose with the sparkly sign. Charlie had indicated that there were more Order members undercover with them, but gave no specifics.

As Alicia prepared for the attack, she felt isolated from the rest of the group. At least where the boys were, there were small groups of passengers waiting to board the train for the next destination. The end of the platform was mostly abandoned.

She glanced down at her tote bag, triple checking that her day planner was still there. It was her prized possession, one that held her most important secrets. If she were to lose it, two years of work would be lost.

With a loud whistle, the train pulled into the station, wheels screeching to a halt. The conductor stepped off the platform opposite her, and dozens of passengers began departing the train. They hurried with their heads down, briefcases and purses at their side, headphones over their ears. She knew she should be looking for any suspicious activity, but her eyes were trained to look only for one face that was seared in her memory.

Someday she would come face to face with Miles Bletchley, and that day would be his last.

A loud _crack_ pulled Alicia from her reverie. Dropping the sign, she drew her wand. Someone had just apparated onto the platform, a risky move in the middle of muggle rush hour. A person would have to be incredibly precise in their destination to avoid landing on an unsuspecting commuter. Taking the time to observe a few people around her, her eyes were drawn to a man in a black hoodie that she didn't remember seeing moments before. His head was hanging low, face shielded by the black fabric. He was reaching into his pocket.

_Now you're not suspicious looking, are you? _Alicia thought with a roll of her eyes, marveling in the stupidity of the Death Eaters. Preparing to attack the hooligan, she waited only for definitive evidence of a wand and a look at his face. There'd be quite a bit of explaining to do if she accidentally hexed a bystander.

The man never had a chance to remove his hand from his pocket. A flash of bright, green light- one that Alicia had not seen since that last night at Hogwarts- hit the man in the lower back. He fell to the floor, dead, the only item in his pocket revealed to be a vibrating cell phone. Swinging around, wand drawn, she came face to face with…

Cormac McLaggen? Dressed like any ordinary muggle teen in trainers, baggy jeans, and a Metallica t-shirt (a clear step down from the polished looks he preened over in Hogwarts), the dark mark was clearly visible on his forearm.

_Death Eater? Well that explains why he was missing. _Just days after Dumbledore's death, Cormac's family had been found dead, with the exception of the young scholar. No sightings of him were reported during or after the war, and most people had assumed him murdered as well. His name had been added to one of the white marble memorials built where the Fountain of Magical Brethren had once stood.

A look of horror spread of Cormac's face as he realized that, not only had he been caught, but that he had been recognized. Neither moved their wands to attack. Hardened blue eyes met weary brown in a staring contest. Behind her, Alicia heard a woman scream: "Mother of God! This man is dead!"

Without warning, a second voice shouted, "AVADA KEDAVRA!" farther down the platform. Panic erupted as a neon green light flashed and an elderly woman fell down.

Using the ensuing brouhaha as cover, Cormac swiftly abandoned his mission and ran. _Coward, _Alicia thought as she sprinted after him. _If you're going to stand for something, you better bloody defend it. Even if you are standing for evil._

Despite Cormac's bragging of being 'an unequaled athletic prowess,' it did not take long for Alicia to catch up to him. It was an impressive feat, considering long hours at Madame Malkin's had prevented any serious workouts as of late. Grabbing one of his shoulders, she forgot her wand. When he pulled away, she grabbed her heavy purse by the handles and whacked him with it. Hard. She slammed him into a brick wall, holding him against it as she ripped his own wand out of his hand.

"How the hell did you know we were here?" he yelped in shock. "No one knew!"

Alicia didn't care about his questions. "Where's your buddy?" she demanded, twisting the collar of his shirt. He looked surprised by her strength, but seven years o being a test dummy for the Weasley twins' practical jokes had given her enough muscle to take on a scrawny, pretty-boy like McLaggen.

"What the hell are you talking about Spinnet?" he shouted as his head connected with the wall again.

"Your pal, your mate!" she screamed, the sounds of a battle that she should have been focused on fighting clamoring behind her. Pointing her wand at his head, she asked "Is Bletchley the one behind this?"

"Yes! Yes he's here!" he shouted immediately.

Alicia stepped back a moment, surprised that Cormac had given up so easily. _Why is he doing this? _She realized the man was no longer focused on her. Following his trail of vision, she found her objective focused intently on a duel with Charlie Weasley.

"Alicia, I showed you where he is, just let me go! I swear I'm done with the Death Eaters—"

"Locomotor mortis!" she shouted, and he fell onto his face as his legs locked. "Gryffindor courage my ass. I guess even the Sorting Hat is wrong sometimes."

Grinding his face into the ground with the front of her shoe, she stalked away to deal with Miles Bletchley.

O O O

The arm movement was enough to catch Charlie Weasley's attention. Adeptly dodging the blasting curse that came from Miles' wand, he pointed his own wand at the man and attempted to stupefy him. He missed, just barely, but it was enough to throw him off balance. Glancing around to check on the others, he saw an auror subduing a Death Eater, a second guarding two more that had already been captured.

Marcus was busy helping passengers off the platform, offering a hand to those who needed it as they were rushed into a room where their memories were being modified. They would leave King's Cross believing they'd taken a normal plane ride, never believing they'd been in the middle of a war zone.

He saw a bulky man step out of the crowd, wand pointed at Marcus. "Cru-"

"Incarcerus!" Charlie bellowed. Two thick ropes flew out of his wand and wrapped around the attacker. The man was left wriggling on the floor, trying to escape the binds that held him.

At the sound of Charlie's voice, Marcus turned. Taking a moment to nod his thanks, both men turned back to the work at hand.

Bletchley was gone. In his haste to help Marcus, Charlie had lost the man Kingsley believed was responsible for leading the remnants of Voldemort's followers.

_Damnit! _he fumed as the fracas around him began to calm down. He capitalized on the chance to breathe. _Come home for your brother's wedding, and look what happens!_

Of course, when Ginny reported via Owl Post that George had gotten it into his head to catch Death Eaters two days before his wedding to Cho Chang, Charlie had flown in from Romania and told him to get his sorry ass to his robe fitting. What was going through his younger brother's head when he volunteered, Charlie hoped to never find out. Besides, it had been a while since anything other than dragons had attacked him.

Finding Alicia Spinnet waiting for the enemy at the platform had been a pleasant surprise. She was a sweet girl, with quite an eye for a quaffle, if he remembered correctly. There was a reason he'd placed her on the Quidditch reserve team his final year at Hogwarts. He hadn't had much contact with her during the war, since she'd joined the Order rather late, but he hoped to catch up with her at some point.

"Charlie!" he heard the girl shout as she ran up to him. "Where's Bletchley?"

"He escaped, 'Leesh. No idea what the hell happened to him."

Her face dropped, her eyes seething with anger. "Are you bloody kidding me Charlie? How could you let him get away?"

"It sucks, I know. But it was either catch him or let Marcus die. Don't worry; the aurors will get him eventually."

"That's what worries me," she replied, frowning.

_Well that makes no sense, _Charlie thought. Attempting to cheer her up, he said, "At least we managed to capture the rest of them!"

Alicia wasn't paying attention. "God DAMN!" she shouted, kicking one of the poles that held up the roof of the station. He watched her take a few deep breathes, fingernails digging into her palms. "Charlie what time is it?"

"Four twenty-five."

"SHIT! Tell Kingsley I'll give him my report later. I have to be back at work at four-thirty for Cho's robe fitting." Alicia apparated before he even had a chance to respond.

Charlie was left to stare after her. _What the hell just happened?_ Pushing the strange conversation aside, he joined Marcus in leading the muggle commuters to get their memories modified.

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**Hello my darlings! Hope you've enjoyed the first full chapter of this story. Special thanks to Cinroc for the review, I really appreciate it. Just so you know, I tend to update my stories on a weekly basis, so the next chapter should be up next weekend if all goes according to plan! Please read and review-- any criticism is taken with much gratitude, as I really hope to improve my writing! On a side note, does anyone else love the new reader traffic feature? I know its weird, but I think it's awesome! Anyways, hope you all have a lovely week, and hope to hear from you all! Best wishes! Jac**


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Alas, I do not own Harry Potter. Song lyrics come from the song "Capri" by Colbie Caillat.

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**Chapter 2**

_There'll be no surprise_

_That she'll grow to be so beautifully_

_Just like her mother that's carrying…_

Colbie Caillat

o O o

_Work robes... work robes… where are my sodding work robes? _Alicia felt the brown terry-cloth towel slipping down her slim body, and she grabbed it with one hand, continuing her robe search with the other. The piles of clothing she was digging through was mostly dirty, neglected due to her thorough lack of spare time. _They have to be here… where else would they be? I rent this place because it's small!_

Two months after the war's end, she reentered her parent's home in Gadley for the first time since she'd broken the basement pipe and let the carbon monoxide in. Sure as all things, her actions had convinced the police, and most everyone she knew, that the death of the Spinnet family was the result of a tragic gas leak. In the few hours she'd spent at the house, she took the mementos of her former life, and then put the house on the market. A young couple, one that reminded her a bit of her parents in their wedding photo, had purchased the house. They never asked what happened, and Alicia never told.

Her three room apartment across from Madame Malkin's, adjacent to the newly refurbished Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, suited her just fine. The sitting room, largest of the three, was relatively organized, with shelves of pictures and memories, two overstuffed teal couches, and a fireplace connected to the floo network. Her kitchen combined as a storage room, the tiny table shoved against the washing machine. The sole window, which looked down upon George's shop, had been replaced several times due to random incidences of pranks gone awry.

Then there was Alicia's bedroom, also known as the site of the world's newest toxic waste dump. Cluttered and messy, the only empty space was a path on the floor, leading form the bathroom to the bed. There was little wonder why she couldn't find her clothing.

Three pecks on the window forced her to stop her search. A tiny owl with a pink envelope waited at the window. "Oh for the love of Merlin!" she shouted at the ceiling. "Give me five seconds!" At this moment of her life, Alicia did not care if she was having words with a bird.

Glancing up at her clock, she was already ten minutes late for Cho's dress fitting. She knew the girl was probably getting anxious, and could she blame her? It was the final gown fitting! The ow'd beak hit the window again, pecking more insistently. Sighing in frustration, Alicia tossed a dirty pair of pajamas on the floor, accepting that the robes were not in the pile on the floor.

"Oh fine," she sighed, pulling out her wand. For as much as she tried to retain some pices of her muggle life, she found that she was using magic more and more to accomplish the simple tasks around her home. "Accio work robes!"

The navy blue robes with the white trim hit her from behind, the long fabric wrapping around her head. "Of course I put them in the bloody closet," she muttered.

Detangling the clothing from her head, the tapping of the owl at the window regained her attention. Looking up, she saw the letter tied to its ankle was now a deep red, edging on purple. "Oh no…" she moaned.

_Best get this over with, _she thought, and she opened the window and prepared herself for the worst. The owl flew in and dropped the howler at her feet. She didn't even have to open it. It exploded all on its own.

"ALICIA SPINNET! IF YOU ARE NOT AT THIS DRESS SHOP IN THE NEXT TWO MINUTES I WILL PERSONALLY DRAG YOUR SORRY ARSE OUT OF YOUR HOME! I don't bloody care how many death eaters you fought today, my wedding is in two sodding days, and I am walking down THAT AISLE in THAT DRESS if it kills me!"

The howler went quiet, and Alicia stopped cringing, expecting it to burn to a pile of ashes and add to the mess on her bedroom floor. She put on a pair of sweatpants and a tank top, and pulled her robes on, enjoying the silence. However; this pause in the letter was brief, and the next time it spoke, tears burst from the voice.

"I am… sniff… so sorry 'Leesh. I don't know… sniff… what's gotten into me. There's the wedding, and I can't stop bloody eating every little piece of food I see, which is making me sick every single damned morning. And I very well won't fit in my dress at this point if I'm busy eating like this. And then these mood swings, all the time, and I just can't help but—" The voice from the letter paused for another minute..."Oh Merlin. GEORGE WEASLEY IS A DEAD, DEAD MAN! Just… just get down to the dress shop. NOW!"

After this final screech, the letter went up in flames, the soot and ashes landing directly next to where Alicia had dropped her towel on the floor. Buttoning the last few buttons on her robe, she apparated across the street to the show, fearing the bride-to-be's (and, evidently, the mother-to-be's) temper should she dare take the time to walk.

* * *

George Weasley heard his mother's sigh of relief, and felt a huge weight lifted off his shoulders. Charlie's hand on the mantle clock had moved from 'mortal peril' to 'traveling'. Quickly, he turned his eyes away to avoid looking at the dusty clock hand that permanently pointed at the word 'home.' Recovery was not as simple as some believed, a fact both he and Cho knew. But together they were healing. Still there were little moments, like seeing Fred's name on the clock, that were too difficult to bear alone.

"The wayward son has returned!" Charlie announced with gusto as he walked through the door, dumping his trunk in the doorway.

George heard his mother bustle into the foyer from the kitchen. "Charles Weasley! What were you thinking? You come home for the first time since the war ended, and every Death Eater in England sees you before I do! I will never understand what goes on in your head. And right before your brother's wedding! Indeed!" She paused, and George knew she was looking Charlie over. "Are you _ever_ going to do anything with your hair? I could trim it for you…."

"Mum, you look stunning. The most beautiful mother-of-the-groom I've ever seen!" Charlie was attempting to charm their mother, and George hoped fervently that it worked. Only Charlie, George, and Kingsley knew that Charlie was not originally scheduled to defend King's Cross Station that morning.

"Oh Charlie," Molly Weasley stuttered, and George knew his mother had probably turned beat red. "Why aren't you home more often? You do your father and me a world of good."

"We don't need hundreds of rampant dragons storming England, mum. But I think I could stop in a bit more often."

"Good, now bring your trunk to your room, and go see George. He's in the living room going over the books from the shop. Cho's off getting her dress fit by Alicia. The rest should be along soon."

As the footsteps rang through the hallway, George prepared himself for Charlie's big brother lecture. After the stunt he nearly pulled, he knew he deserved it.

* * *

"Reducio!" Charlie whispered, preparing himself to face his younger brother for the first time since Fred's death and the war's end. He entered the living room, dropping the trunk in his pocket. George stood and embraced his brother briefly. "Ready to kiss your freedom goodbye, little brother?"

"More than ready, and you know that," George replied. They stood awkwardly, each waiting for the other to speak.

Charlie knew, for a fact, that no one in their family would ever know George like Fred had. No one would replace his twin, but none of them aspired to do that. As he spiraled into depression following Fred's death, the other five siblings had tried to get through to him, with limited success. And that was why Charlie could accept Cho into the family easily, even though he'd never met her. She had gotten through to George, and that was what mattered.

"Thank you for talking me out of going to King's Cross. I—"

"Don't even mention it, Georgie," Charlie interrupted. "Just think before you volunteer next time, alright? I know you want to bring these men to justice, but it's ok to leave it for others to do sometimes. I'm not saying to drop out of this fight altogether, just pick your battles. Preferably on days when you're not getting married or having rehearsal dinners."

Silence again. _Is this what I get for leaving the country? _Charlie thought. He had hoped he wouldn't be a stranger in his own house, but it seemed he was.

"So," Charlie began, not sure if the topic he was about to broach was still taboo within the family. "How's the shop?"

George's face brightened. "Wanna see? We can go over now, just as long as I'm back to see Cho before the stag party tonight. Ron came up with this spectacular new product, inspired entirely by our dear brother Percival Ignatius Weasley."

As he followed George through the floo, Charlie knew that recovery was well on its way. It comforted him.

* * *

"Cho Chang, you stop crying right now!"

A tall, stocky girl with shaggy blonde hair, and a scar on her cheek, Marietta Edgecomb was used to getting her way. Alicia could tell she was at a total loss at how to control Cho's tears.

Alicia had been expecting to meet Marietta at Madame Malkin's, as she was made of honor in the wedding party. It was with some trepidation on her part that this meeting between the two women occurred. They had last spoken- well, it was more a scream- when the former Ravenclaw had betrayed Dumbledore's Army her final year at Hogwarts. As Umbridge and the Inquisitorial Squad had walked away, Lee and the twins had to hold the three Gryffindor chasers back. They had been ready to murder.

"But… but I'm knocked up!" Cho bawled. In the front room, where Alicia was contemplating returning home to avoid dealing with the hormonal Cho and stew in anger over losing a chance to capture Bletchley, Parthenia Malkin gave a quiet sniff of disdain. Though the style and designs of her robes had become more progressive over the years, Madame Malkin's values had remained as traditional and conservative as the day she found out she was a witch.

"George and I haven't even talked about having kids! We were going to wait a while, get the shop back to where it was before the war and- oh Merlin, how am I going to tell him?"

"You'll figure it out," Marietta said softly, patting her friend on the back.

"And George will be overjoyed, Cho," Alicia added as she walked into the room. "He loves you so much. Sure, you may not have planned the baby, but I know he's always wanted kids. The only thing you have to worry about is the pranks he'll teach them. Besides, you don't even know for certain that you're pregnant."

Cho's tears subsided, and she calmed down. Wiping off her face, she broke into a grin. "What would I do without you girls?"

Marietta smiled at Alicia and mouthed the words, "Thank you."

"Shall we get you in your dress?" Alicia asked. "Then we can go to St. Mungo's together to find out about the baby. And then…"

"HEN PARTY!" Cho squealed, completely forgetting about her former lamentation. "Oh, if I can't drink myself, I will personally be buying the two of you all your drinks tonight.

Alicia just smiled and nodded. _If these mood swings aren't because of a baby, _she thought as she handed the carefully embroidered robes to Cho, _George is in for quite an interesting married life._

_

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**Hello everybody! Hope everyone is well. Thank you so much for continuing to read this story-- I know it's a bit of an oddball pairing, but I hate the idea of Charlie living a life alone with dragons! Special thanks to cinroc for the review! It really means a lot to me! Now that my internship is ending, I should be able to update a bit more often! **

**Anyways, **_**please **_**leave a review! Even if it's criticism, or something I can improve on, I appreciate hearing your thoughts! And tell your friends about this story-- we can start an obscure minor character story revolution! (Okay, maybe that's just me!) Best wishes to all! Jac**


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to the talented and amazing JK Rowling. Not me. The song "Family" belongs to Leanne Rimes.**

**Chapter 3**

Now here I stand on roots that deep

We laugh, we cry, we hurt, we bleed...

Make no apologies, this is my family...

_Leanne Rimes_

o O o

Silence. It was a sound Charlie had never heard in the Burrow all the years he'd lived there.

After leaving George at his shop to help Opal, the newest register clerk, close for the night, Charlie returned home. He avoided his mother, knowing she would inevitably have him placing elaborate favors in pink gauze bags for wedding guests (Because, clearly, bagging them by hand rather than magic made it _so _much more personal!). Instead, he basked in the silence of the Burrow, and quickly determined he did not enjoy it.

It wasn't natural. The aged, worn home needed noise and life.

Charlie got what he wished for, as the front door slammed. "Mum! What time is it?" Ginny shouted as she ran through the door, throwing her Quidditch gear aside.

"Hello to you too, Genevra!" Charlie heard his mother call from upstairs, where she was attempting to alter his father's old dress robes. "Ask your brother."

_She always knows, doesn't she? No avoiding mum! _

Ginny stomped into the living room, red hair pulled high in a ponytail, the pungent odor of the Hollyhead Harpies' locker room permeating the room. "Georgie, what time is it? BLIMEY! Charlie, when the hell did you get home?" The lithe young woman tackled her older brother.

"Calm down Gin! I've only been home an hour. George is at the shop, and it's six-thirty."

"Oh good, I have time to shower before the hen party! I was getting worried I wouldn't be home in time, coach is kicking our arses." She threw herself onto the worn blue couch, sinking into the cushions. "Did everything work out this afternoon? I mean, with King's Cross and..."

Charlie smiled. "Everything was fine. I met up with Alicia and Marcus. We caught a few Death Eaters, though Bletchley escaped."

Ginny shook her head. "I don't know what George was thinking..."

"I know. It's been bothering me all afternoon. I guess we all have different ways of coping with our losses. George doesn't want to fight anymore, I can tell that much from talking to him. But I think he feels that, if he doesn't seek revenge, he's betraying Fred."

She nodded, fiddling with the laces on her shoes until they were loose enough to kick off. "You're probably right, like always, Char. I just thought… it seemed like he was doing so much better."

"He is, Gin. Just give him time. Now, don't you have a hen party to get ready for?"

"Ahh! Hen party! So excited… shower time for me!" Skipping steps, Ginny ran upstairs.

He could understand Ginny's excitement-- Molly would have outright banned her from attending Fleur's final party as a single woman, had she thrown one. However; the war had prevented it, giving his mother one less battle to fight with his moody teenage sister.

_It's about damned time we all have something to be happy about_, Charlie mused to himself with a smile.

* * *

"Oh Merlin, Alicia, you are bloody fantastic," Marietta said as Cho reentered the dressing room. A few stitches here and there, and the dress robes would be entirely ready for the wedding. Taking a quick glance around, the former Ravenclaw added, "Have you considered leaving Madame Malkin's and setting up your own shop? You'd do so well!"

"I couldn't," Alicia responded with a smile. "Parthenia's been like a mum to me since my parents died. And it takes so much money to open a shop, between hiring staff, and buying fabrics, and marketing, I just don't have the funds right now. Besides, I'm free to design how I please, and I don't have to add up the books at the end of the day. What could be better?"

Marietta's laughed lightly, but a grim look passed over her face. "I didn't realize your parents passed away. I'm so sorry to hear that. Was it the war?"

_Bringing out the old lie again, aren't we Alicia? _she thought. "It was during the war, but not the war itself. There was a gas leak in my childhood home."

They stood in awkward silence for a few moments. Alicia knew the other girl was trying to be friendly, to make up for the past indiscretions that Alicia had long-since let go. "You almost done Cho?"

The girl in question stepped out. "Yeah. It's six-forty five now, right?" she asked, checking her watch. "That gives us a little over two hours til the party. Ready to head over to St. Mungo's?"

A tinkling sound came from the front room. Someone had entered the shop. "Shite, I don't think I'm gonna be able to close up right away Cho. Do you mind waiting?"

"It's alright, Marietta and I will go together. I'll owl you with the results. Now don't forget, nine o'clock sharp tonight. And please dress up, for my sake. You know, like girly. It's gonna be fun, I swear to you."

"I don't doubt that at all," Alicia replied. "Good luck with everything!" As the two women stepped into the floo, Alicia placed Cho's dress back on the robe an entered the front room. The tall, dark-skinned man that stood waiting for her was an expected sight. "Hi Kingsley!" she said cheerfully. _He's probably here for a report on this afternoon._

"Spinnet," he greeted her in return. His voice was sharp and short, he was angry. From the pocket of his robes he pulled a thick, green notebook. "Lose something?"

Recognition of the book was slow in coming, but when it hit her, Alicia realized the depth of the trouble she was in. _How the hell did Kingsley get my day planner?_

* * *

Charlie was beginning to settle back into the silence, when there was a crash in the kitchen. "Hi Mrs. Weasley!" a loud, childish voice shouted.

_Who the hell is that? _Charlie rose from the couch, walking into the other room. A young girl, maybe three or four years old, with blonde hair and hazel eyes stared back at him.

"You don't live here," she informed him.

Gaping in shock at the wayward child, Charlie was saved from asking the obvious question when a second person came flying in through the floo. "Lucy Ludlam! You can't just jump in the fire like that! Do you want to end up at the wrong house? How will I find you?"

The girl scampered into the woman's arms. Heavier, though not overweight, with brown hair in a braid down her back, Charlie vaguely recognized the woman. _Did she go to Hogwarts?_

"Is Percy not here yet?" she asked him. When Charlie, still in shock, replied in the negative. She grinned. "Hah, I beat Mr. Prompt at his little game for once! I thought he said he'd be here already, maybe I got the time wrong." She paused a moment. "Oh my goodness, I'm being so rude. I'm Audrey Gaspar, and this here is Lucy. You must be Charlie, Percy told me you were coming in today. I'm his girlfriend, by the way."

She stuck out her hand, a grin on her face. _This is the girl Percy is dating? _She was vivacious, outgoing, relaxed, and a little scatter brained—all things Percy most definitely was not. They said opposites attract, but this seemed to be testing that theory to extremes.

"Audrey! I thought I heard you upstairs. I see you've met my wayward son."

"Mrs. Weasley!" Lucy shrieked in excitement, giving the woman a hug. The joy that spread over his mother's face at the sign of affection made Charlie hope that everything worked out between Audrey and his brother, if only for her sake.

The front door opened and shut again, a breathless Percy entering the house. "Mum? Audrey is on her way over with Lucy!"

"She's already here!" Percy, with briefcase in tow, looked the same as always- glasses slightly askew, red hair smoothed and combed professionally, work robes clean and respectable. His face remained serious and dreary, until Audrey kissed him and whispered something in his ear that caused him to beam.

* * *

Alicia's mind was racing. If Kingsley had read her day planner, she knew that no creative explanation could possibly lessen his anger. The evidence within that little book was damning, the actions recorded within verging on unacceptable and suicidal for a civilian in the wizarding world.

"What the hell are you thinking Alicia? I was just going to come by to get your report. Then one of the aurors picked this up at King's Cross. She thought it might have been one of the other aurors' case books, seeing as it had detailed descriptions of Bletchley's moves for the past nine months. But, as I flipped through, I came to find it was _your _name written inside. Care to explain?"

_God, I'm in trouble now… _

At war's end, there had been two apparent options for Alicia: pretend everything was fine and return to the real world or allow desolation to overcome her. She chose the second option, drinking her nights away, working away her days, never sleeping, rarely eating. Living, but not really living.

That had lasted all of five months, before her friends had staged an intervention. The alcohol was gone, mandatory nights out with the girls were started, and blind dates arranged. Anything to keep Alicia from sinking back into the rut she'd been in.

Still she felt incomplete. Unsure of what to do with herself, she started asking questions. Have you ever met Miles Bletchley? Have you seen him since the war ended?

Questions turned to careful note taking. Those notes were converted into maps, and all too soon Alicia was hunting obsessively. A singular Death Eater, who appeared to be low on Voldemort's totem pole of lackeys, Miles Bletchley was unlikely to be a top priority to the aurors. But for Alicia, he was the only priority. Every observation, every reliable story was recorded into the day planner.

It didn't matter that she hadn't gotten more than an hour's sleep in months. She woke, worked at Madame Malkin's, and hunted Bletchley. Occasionally she spent time with friends, to keep up a good face and prevent a second intervention. Life revolved around this one man, and it would continue to do so until he (or she) was dead.

"Kingsley, you have to understand…"

Evidently the new minister's question was rhetorical. "So then, I get down to the office to meet with Harry and the department head, and I find out that you attacked Cormac McLaggen to get even _more _information on Bletchley! The policy is to subdue, then question. Not to beat information out of people! Do you really think he'll cooperate with us now? He's already threatening to take action against the aurors! That could have been a huge development, Alicia, huge!"

"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME KINGSLEY?" Alicia shouted back. Breathing deeply, she continued. "You knew, when you asked me to aid the aurors, what you were getting yourself into. I'm here for one reason only- to find Miles Bletchley and make him pay."

His face turned red, as he slammed the book on the table. She'd never seen him lose control before, and it scared her. "That is NOT why you are here. You are here because you excelled in capturing Death Eaters during the war, and we need all the help we can get right now. I had to pull strings with the auror department to get permission for this— they don't like being undermined in their work, and I can't blame them, after seeing your independent project here." He paused, calming himself. "This information, everything in here, is so detailed. How did you do this?"

She felt herself smile, proud of herself. She doubted that Kingsley Shacklebolt would share her pride. "I've been following his trail for months. After work, on breaks. This is all I do."

Kingsley sat, motioning for her to do the same. She slid into the seat, resting her head on her hands. "First off," he said softly, rubbing his forehead "you're services are no longer needed by the Ministry of Magic."

"What?"

"We fought this war for a reason, Alicia." His face looked tired, almost grandfatherly, even though he was only in his forties. In this moment, Kingsley Shacklebolt possessed the wisdom of Dumbledore. "We fought so that we could live again. We lost a lot, you know that more than many will ever realize. But Harry didn't fight so you could throw this all away. Neither did I, or the Weasley's, or any of the rest of our friends. This obsession over Bletchley will stop right now. Your parents wouldn't want you to throw the rest of your life away seeking revenge—"

"You don't know what my parents would have wanted!" Alicia shot back petulantly, knowing she sounded like any number of indolent teenagers that deserved to be smacked upside the head. She felt tears welling behind her eyes.

"Yes, I do. No parent would want their child throwing a perfectly good life away seeking revenge. If I died, I wouldn't wish that upon my daughter. It's time for you to get your life back. Shape up Alicia. You need to find something new to live for. "

Sobbing, she sunk into the chair she sat in. "I don't know what that is anymore, Kingsley."

"Maybe you should start looking now," he said, moving around the table, and pulling her into a fatherly hug. "You know that I'm always here, and the rest of the Order of the Phoenix as well. You can ask for help. Don't alienate everyone."

Nodding, Alicia acquiesced- at least enough that Kingsley was satisfied.

"Now, you have a party to get ready for, correct? Get yourself going. I'll be holding on to this notebook. I have to admit- the work you did is pretty impressive. Never would have thought of going to the Samoan goblins for information."

Alicia led Kingsley out of the shop, and locked the door behind her. "Oh, and Alicia? I will be having someone check up on you. I'm damn serious about this. Bletchley is a ministry matter now. Not yours."

* * *

By the time Bill, Fleur, and six-month old Victoire had arrived, Lucy had attached herself to Percy's legs and Ginny had returned downstairs, hair still dripping from the shower. Charlie cooed over the part-veela child, who was already showing signs of her mother's beauty. Both parents looked a little worse-for-wear, but their permanent smiles and accidental baby-talk in normal conversation made it evident that every sleepless night was worth it. Easy chatter between the adults made time pass quickly, and they were soon joined by the rest of the family- George, Arthur, and Ron, with Hermione and Harry. Handshakes were given and warm welcomes received.

Victoire, unused to the bustle, let out a long wail, distracting the adults immediately. Charlie took the opportunity to pull George aside. "Who's Percy's girlfriend?"

"Ahh, now _that _would have been a wee bit of a scandal if the war never happened. She was his secretary for the better part of two years. Something happened between the two of them during the war. Neither will talk about it, but they started dating officially maybe a year ago."

"And the little girl?"

"Do you remember Danny Ludlam? He was in Hufflepuff, your year. He married Julia Harry the year after she graduated. Lucy is their daughter. When they were killed during the war, they left guardianship to Audrey. She and Percy have been raising her together."

Charlie watched as Lucy grabbed Percy's glasses off his head. He expected his brother to scold her, but instead, he allowed her to try them on and then throw them halfway across the room. Laughing, he picked the glasses up, and put them back on.

"And mum's okay with that?" Charlie asked incredulously. A whole new side to Percy was developing before his eyes.

"A few weeks back, Mum went over to their house. You know her, she can't help but clean even the most meticulously kept home. Found a nice little engagement ring tucked away on his bookshelf."

George winked, and left to welcome Cho as she apparated to their doorstep with her sister Yilin in tow. "The dress is perfect!" she announced as she walked through the door, causing Ginny to squeal with excitement.

There was a different atmosphere in the Burrow than there used to be. Of course, that was to be expected. The war could not be taken back; and as always comes with the passage of time, old faces had left, and new had joined the group. But Charlie, taking a step back from the group knew one thing. _This is how the Burrow should be. Filled with life. _

_

* * *

  
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**Hey everyone! Sorry for the delay between chapters-- I got in a bit of a rut with where to go with this chapter. I decided to give a bit of insight into why Alicia needs to escape life in England, plus get into a bit of the post-war Weasley family dynamics. I hope I didn't get them too OOC, if I did, please comment and let me know! Next chapter, we will be going to Cho's hen party and seeing a bit of George's stag party. Plus the answer to the eternal question: is Cho pregnant? **

**Please leave a review and let me know what you think! I really love to hear from you, and all criticism and advice is taken into consideration as I write! Best wishes! Jac**


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all associated characters belong to the fabulous JK Rowling. The song "Shattered" belongs to OAR. **

**

* * *

  
**

**Chapter 4**

_How many times _

_Can I break till I shatter?  
Over the line _

_Can't define what I'm after_

-OAR

* * *

Alicia slammed the door to her bedroom, staring blankly at the mess in front of her. She was steaming, full of anger, and in the brief walk from Madame Malkin's to her apartment, she let it get the best of her. She opened the door and slammed it again, wishing someone, anyone had heard her. Wishing her mother would come to the door and scold her for being an angsty teenager, like she had the summer before Alicia's fifth year when Oliver Wood made it very clear that he'd rather be struck by one thousand bludgers than ever kiss her.

It was too late for that now. She was alone, entirely alone. And the one thing that kept her going had been taken right out of her hands. Leaving the door, she began ripping through the piles of clothing on her floor, just as she had this afternoon.

_Kingsley took everything away from me! What the hell am I supposed to do now? Sit on my ass, sewing dresses and waiting for Bletchley to miraculously get caught? That's not who I am! I want him dead. I want him to feel the pain he made me feel. The ministry will toss him in jail- so what! That's no punishment. _

Beneath a pile of sweatshirts and jackets, Alicia found the dress she would wear to Cho's bachelorette party. She tossed it on her bed, rumpled, and collapsed on top of it, still wearing her jeans and jumper. She knew the dress was wrinkling more than it had been under her weight. If Katie Bell, who had chosen the dress for her, had been in the room, she would have thrown a fit. Alicia didn't care.

Everything felt empty, broken. There was a finality, as if life was over. _I should have left England and started searching for Bletchley as soon as the war was over. Focused on finding him, instead of living a stupid double life. I let myself get distracted. God damn!_

A tap on the window grabbed her attention. It was the same owl from earlier in the afternoon. "Cho!" she exclaimed.

Opening the window, she allowed the owl in. After removing the letter from its leg, she dashed into the kitchen and filled a bowl with owl treats, double to make up for forgetting to leave the bird some earlier in the day. As she stared at the letter in her hand, she hesitated. The anger slipped away, and memories of her years in Hogwarts washed over her.

* * *

Cho and George. Now there was a couple that never should have been.

The plans had always been definite in school: Katie and Lee, Angelina and Fred, Alicia and George. It had been written in stone- well, not quite. But it was written in pink ink in Angelina's diary from their second year.

Angie and Freddy had always been a given from the moment she kicked him in the bollocks for pranking her their first year. The Yule Ball had sealed the deal, and they were inseparable. True love had never been more evident, and the two became engaged just months before the war started. Alicia was still in awe of how strong Angie had been since his death.

Katie and Lee had paired off soon after the necklace incident her seventh year. He'd quit his job at the wireless station, spending every day at Katie's side at St. Mungo's. It was all very romantic, and Alicia had been just the tiniest bit jealous when she heard the story. Katie had woken up in Lee's arms, and after a fair bit of snogging, Lee managed to get himself banned from her room in St. Mungo's for interfering with her recovery. The rest progressed like a fairy tale, to the point that George was encouraging Cho to toss the bouquet to Kate. Apparently Lee needed a bit of a push in the right direction when it came to marriage.

She and George, on the other hand-- they were a fiasco. Her crush on him had begun halfway through third year, and proceeded unrequited for almost six years. She'd nearly told him half a dozen times, the closest being the night before he'd escaped from Hogwarts. Sitting on the end of his bed in the Gryffindor common room, the words were forming on her lips when he said it.

"We're leaving."

Alicia visited his shop faithfully, and after graduation chose Madame Malkin's over a better job in the Parisian wizarding community. Anything to be near him.

All that ended when her parents were killed. Relationships didn't seem to matter anymore. As she turned to liquor to fill the hole, George lost the person who mattered most to him in the world: Freddy. By the time she'd pulled herself together again, he and Cho were too in love for her to even stand a chance.

It wasn't that she still wanted George, though she assumed she'd always love him in some way. It was the finality that came with the realization that once she opened this letter, once they were married, it was done.

* * *

Carefully she tore the paper open, reading the short letter.

_Alicia:_

_We're having a baby! Drinks on me tonight! Oh, and we're meeting at the Burrow. I can't remember if I told you that or not. Hope everything went well after we left today. See you tonight. And please try not to be late! _

_Kisses,_

_Cho_

George was going to be a father. It was an insane thought, that they were old enough to even consider marriage and children, but it was true. They were into their twenties now, out of school almost three and a half years.

Alicia couldn't keep dwelling on the past. It hurt too much- whether it was George or Bletchley on her mind. Checking the clock-radio next to her bed she saw it was eight-thirty. Nearly time to leave for the Burrow.

"No more self-pity, Alicia Spinnet. You will not ruin Cho's night! One night of fun before you figure out how to get around Kingsley's orders." she told herself out loud, charming the wrinkles out of her dress.

She put it on, along with the heels Katie had sent along with it, twirling girlishly. The purple halter with the jeweled neck reached mid-thigh. Katie had chosen it specifically for her because, "While you may make the wizarding world's most fashionable clothes, 'Leesh, it's fairly obvious that you can't dress yourself. And I say that with love."

Despite her better judgment, she added some light makeup, and curled her hair. Alicia looked in the mirror, and saw that she almost looked like she had back in school.

She glanced at the clock again- eight forty-five. She was going to cut it close. Crossing her fingers that the hormonally imbalanced Cho did not have another howler handy, she apparated to the Burrow.

She was already on the fast path to hell. One night wouldn't save her, but it sure wasn't going to kill her any faster.

* * *

"When my sister got married, at her hen party, they went to a muggle bar. It was a lot of fun" Marietta said softly, as the room of chattering woman quieted down. Cho smiled, pleased to see that Angelina and Katie, as well as Marietta, had been making an effort to be comfortable around each other. She knew their uneasy past, and was glad to see that everyone had let bygones be bygones.

"Definitely. I love muggle bars," Katie agreed, speaking from experience. The smirk on her face made that evident.

Cho laughed, moving out of the parlor in search of George. Before she left, she counted her guests. Yilin had arrived with her, and Audrey, Hermione, Fleur, and Ginny had already been at the Burrow when she got there. Marietta had arrived on her own, followed by the ever chatty, always together Angelina and Katie.

The only person they were missing was Alicia. _Surprise, surprise_, Cho thought with a sigh.

While she'd gotten to know Angelina and Katie fairly well through spending time with George, Alicia had been an enigma to her for a quite a while. She rarely spent time with the other two Gryffindor seekers, and was really the only person not dating within the circle of friends, with the exception of Angelina. She imagined it was hard on Alicia. She'd become a virtual outsider.

Still, Cho was determined, knowing that Alicia was like a sister to George when they were younger, and had insisted that the woman make her wedding robes. Through this, she had been able to learn more about the girl through their interactions at the dress shop, and she genuinely liked her. They would never be best friends- she didn't pretend that she'd ever be best friends with the three, she had Marietta and they had each other- but they _were_ friends.

"Has anyone heard from Alicia?" Cho asked before leaving the room.

"She probably got held up with that last customer," Marietta said with a reassuring smile as Cho finally left the room.

She found George in the kitchen with Bill. Her fiancé had been left in charge of little Victoire while his brother was making coffee. He was explaining to the drooling baby the fine art of pranking, and Cho smiled despite herself.

_He loves kids. He'll be thrilled. No reason to be nervous. So we didn't plan this? We're going to have kids eventually, might as well start now!_

To the delight of the cooing baby, George started performing simple muggle magic tricks- pulling a galleon from behind the little girl's ear, making it disappear in the sleeve of his robe. Cho found herself watching, unable to move.

"Hello there, Cho!" Bill said, as he passed George his coffee. She jumped in surprise, not expecting to be seen.

"Hey Bill. Can I steal my future husband?"

He smiled, picking up Victoire. "Sure. Coffee?"

She shook her head, remembering one of Mrs. Weasley's rambling talks to pregnant Fleur on what was and was not good for pregnant women to consume. Bill took his own cup and the baby and left the room. George winked at her. "You're not supposed to see me before the wedding, love. It's bad luck."

"We're having a baby."

_Shit. _Cho's hand flew up to her mouth, realizing how blunt she'd just been. She'd meant to give a witty retort, to introduce the topic of children gradually. Maybe even say hello to him before dropping the bomb. Ease him into the news. _Bloody hell I've made a mess of this one. _

Every pre-wedding fear suddenly washed over her. _What if he cancels the wedding? What if he doesn't, and leaves me at the altar? We never actually talked about having kids. Why didn't we talk about having kids?_

"Are you planning on opening your eyes again, love?" she heard George ask.

She hadn't even realized they were closed. Hesitating slightly, she opened her eyes back up. George was beaming. "When did you find out?"

"This afternoon. After my dress fitting. I had some bloody awful mood swings waiting for Alicia, and it kind of hit me why I was craving pickles, bangers, and ice cream at three in the morning."

His face contorted. "That's bloody disgusting love." Before she could answer, he leaned in and kissed her hard on the lips, effectively conveying just how thrilled he was at the prospect of having a baby.

* * *

Charlie ran a hand through his damp hair as he made his way back to the living room. He felt relaxed now, and free of the grime and dust from the train station.

"Are you sure you want to go down there?" he heard Bill asked. He saw his older brother walking the opposite direction with Victoire in his arms, looking as if he were fleeing.

"Why wouldn't I?" he asked, puzzled.

Bill opened his mouth, but before he could speak, loud, piercing giggles filled the air, overwhelming his eardrums. "Hen party?" he asked.

"Hen party," Bill confirmed. "Even Angelina and Ginny are giggling, and those two don't giggle. Ever. The sooner they're on their way, the better."

Charlie nodded, deciding to brave the barrage of women. His stomach was growling, and knowing that his mother's leftover cooking was awaiting him in the fridge gave him the courage he would need to face the giggles.

"Also, you might want to avoid the kitchen. Cho and George were… well frankly, I don't want to know what they were doing when I left. But the room may need to be sanitized later."

Charlie sighed, shaking his head. "I'll take my chances."

"By the way, Kingsley flooed before. He needs to get a report from you about the train station incident, but it can wait 'til tomorrow. He said to stop by anytime."

"Thanks Bill." Charlie continued to make his way down the stairs. His mind was entirely focused on the kitchen, the taste his mother's cooking on the tip of his tongue.

* * *

Alicia stumbled across the Weasley's lawn as she landed, the high heels she wore on her feet giving out under her weight. _Katie Bell is a dead woman. Never again will I let her pick out my clothing, _she declared silently.

Collecting herself she walked to the door and knocked firmly. She waited impatiently, ready for the night to end before it even began. Despite her promise to enjoy herself, the day's events were still on her mind.

A few seconds passed before the weathered wooden door opened, revealing Charlie Weasley. He looked more himself than he had at the train station. Muggle clothing really didn't suit him. He stared, though he didn't say anything, and Alicia squirmed uncomfortably. She officially hated the damned purple dress. "Hi Charlie," she said, though it sounded more a question.

"Hey 'Leesh," he replied, pulling himself together. His manner was easy, light hearted, and Alicia gleaned that Kingsley hadn't spoken to him yet regarding the events after the attack. It was a relief. "Surprised you aren't dead on your feat. King's Cross, dress fitting, hen party. You're a brave soul."

"Or an incredibly stupid one," she added. "Are you going to let me in?"

He stepped aside, ushering her inside.

"Is that Alicia?" she heard Cho cry, rushing in from the kitchen. Her hair was disheveled, her clothes askew. Alicia felt her eyebrow raise, and saw Charlie's had as well. Cho's appearance read like a neon sign over London: _George was here._ "Don't take your shoes off. LADIES! Time to leave! Alicia's here!"

Within moments, all of the women attending the hen party had gathered at the door. Cho took Alicia by the shoulders, spun her around, and led her back outside. She managed one last glance at Charlie over her shoulder, throwing him a wry smile as she was led to Cho's last party as a single woman.

* * *

**Wow, it's been almost a year since I've updated this story. It's been sorely neglected. If any readers have held over, I do apologize for the gap. Between other stories, and real life, this story fell by the way side. Rest assured, I do intend on completing it! This idea has been in my head for far to long to allow it to be ignored. Thanks to everyone who has read, and to Cinroc and Werden for reviewing the previous chapter! **

**If you have been following the story since the start, I strongly recommend rereading the first few chapters. I've edited them a bit to streamline the story telling and clarify. I now know where I want this story to go, which was something I couldn't say at the beginning. I am hoping to have the next chapter out soon! Best wishes, Jac**


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own Harry Potter. Lyrics come from the song "Cigarettes and Alcohol" by Oasis.**

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**Chapter 5**

_Is it my imagination_

_Or have I finally found something worth living for?_

_I was looking for some action_

_But all I found was cigarettes and alcohol_

_-_Oasis

* * *

"What can I get for you, Charlie?" Madame Rosmerta asked, sashaying between customers behind the bar. He was the last of the 'stags' to place his order at the Three Broomsticks, where George's party was being held. Already, his brothers, along with Lee, Harry, Oliver Wood, and Marcus Flint (whose close friendship with George continued to astonish him) were seated comfortably around a sturdy, aged oak table.

"A fire whisky, gorgeous," he replied with a smirk. Pushing fifty, Rosmerta still held her youthful charm that had captivated both ministry officials and Hogsmeade roustabouts. Though well known for her caring, sometimes motherly demeanor, it was a well known fact that a little flirtation could lead to a slightly lower tab at the end of the night.

She winked back at him. "You Weasley's are too much for me. It's nice to see you boys doing something other than strategizing. Now go have fun. I promise, no reports back to your mum later." Thanking her, Charlie took his drink and joined the rest of the party.

"Gentlemen!" Lee Jordan announced suavely, straightening his robes. He stood before the revelers, attempting to keep a straight face. "Though I may only be a lowly usher in this fine wedding party, when the best man confessed to me that he was utterly baffled by how to host a brilliant stag party-" at these words Percy flushed a deep red "-how could I possibly say no?"

Charlie chuckled, remembering how Percy had franticly owled him when he realized that the party planning responsibility was on his shoulders. Unlike his brothers, Percy had never hosted any illicit Gryffindor house parties during his time in Hogwarts. Even Bill had managed a bit of mischief in his time, despite being Head Boy. Poor Percy had been at such a loss, that Charlie suggested he go to Lee for advice.

Apparently, Lee's advice had been to turn over the party planning over to him. Charlie was almost positive that Percy had not been offended by that advice.

Lee cleared his throat, continuing his speech. "George, you bum, you're entirely unsuitable for monogamy. The parents of every woman in England would squirm if you walked through their door with their daughter on your arm. Your penchant for explosives would frighten the bravest of woman."

The joviality disappeared from his face. "But despite this, I think we all know that you and Cho are meant to be. And I wish you two all the happiness in the world. Hell, mate, we all know you deserve it more than anyone. To Cho and George!"

Lee hoisted his mug aloft, and Charlie followed suit. George's grin was priceless, a sign to Charlie of his gradual recovery from the horrors of the war.

He drank heartily, not willing to waste a moment with his brothers. Who knew how long it would be before they could spend time together again?

* * *

The muggle bar in downtown Leeds was overly crowded, in Alicia's opinion. Perhaps it was the bad day she had, or the fact that she had isolated herself for the longest time, but Katie and Marietta's assurances that it was a slow night did nothing to put her at ease. The constant traffic of university students and town folk were making it impossible for her to disappear against the wall.

She didn't want to kill the party- that was the last thing she wanted to do. Cho deserved to have a fabulous night. But it was now midnight, and they had reached the final stop in their pub-hopping tour of the city, and Alicia was exhausted and emotionally drained. Besides that, it was so damned difficult, seeing the bar, smelling the drinks. She'd put herself right in the line of fire.

The crowd around the bar was two people deep, and the DJ was blasting music so loud that the wall Alicia leaned against was vibrating. Out on the floor, Ginny was dancing with Hermione, who appeared to be an entirely different person once she had a few drink in her. Marietta was being followed by a puppy-dog eyed student, who kept trying to draw her onto the dance floor with him. The rest of the girls were dancing with Cho, who was wearing an "I'm The Bride" sash.

_Maybe just one drink… that'll put me in the partying mood, right? It can't hurt. No, I'm not going down that bloody path again. Not again. _Maybe if she kept telling herself that, she'd stick with it. The comfort of liquor was tempting.

Alicia felt someone bump against her shoulder. "Please don't tell me you're going to mope in the corner all night," Angelina said.

"I'm not moping," Alicia replied, not really trying to defend herself.

"Yes you are."

"So what if I am? I had a bloody awful day today."

Angelina frowned. "Every day is a 'bloody awful' day for you Alicia. You haven't had a good day in almost three years."

"Angie I… I just don't want to ruin this night for Cho. And it's hard, because honestly, it is true. I _haven't_ had a good day in a while, and today was probably the worst. I'm here, but I'm not here. If I was part of the crowd, I'd just ruin the party. So I'm staying here, where I can't ruin the fun, because that's all I would do. It's not easy for me to be here."

"Do you think it's easy for me?" Angelina said, exasperated. "Do you think it's easy for me to go on, knowing that Fred is gone? To let go? It's not 'Leesh. It's not easy. But I do, and not just for the people around me. What's the point in living if you're not going to enjoy it? That's what Freddie would have said. So that's what I'm doing. I'm living. I'm living for him, but more importantly, I'm living for me. Do you think this is how your family would want you to live? Hidden in the corner, away from the rest of life?"

Alicia didn't say anything, not having a very good response. "Please, just dance with us. You don't have to enjoy it, you can pretend. But do something. Cho's worried about you, and she shouldn't be. It's her night to have fun. Don't ruin it." Angelina held out a hand, indicating she should join them.

Taking it, Alicia allowed herself to be pulled onto the dance floor, forcing herself to look thrilled as Ginny took her hand and started twirling her around.

* * *

Two and a half hours into George's stag party, Charlie and his brothers finally grabbed a few moments to themselves. Lee, in his infinite wisdom, had not really planned the party beyond excessive drinking at the Three Broomsticks, and quickly realized that nine men could not occupy themselves this way all night. Most of them were halfway to oblivion, or well on their way there. He had disappeared with Marcus, Harry and Oliver, claiming to have a brilliant idea that needed some planning to "save the party."

Percy and Bill returned to the table with another round of fire whisky, and Charlie counted that it was his fifth or sixth of the night. Thank Merlin, he somehow still felt relatively levelheaded, though it could have been false confidence given to him by the alcohol. Receiving a new drink from his brother, he drank heartily, as did the others. All except George.

Actually, thinking about it, Charlie hadn't seen George drink since Lee had given his toast.

Apparently Bill noticed too. "Okay Georgie, please inform us why you, who loves fire whiskey as much as the next man, has only consumed one drink this entire night," he slurred. He had a half-drunk smirk on his face, indicating he was thoroughly enjoying his night without parental duties.

"If you must know, I am standing in solidarity with my wife-to-be," George said mysteriously, one hand tugging on the lobe of his single ear.

"Solidarity with who… what?" Ron asked, perplexed.

Across the table, Percy was pondering the riddle silently, trying to find a logical answer. Charlie felt like George's allusion should have been fairly obvious, and was irked when a knowing smile spread over Bill's face. _Bill always was the clever one…_

"What is it, Bill?" Percy conceded.

"I think the news is George's to tell," he replied.

Charlie, still in the dark, found himself staring down George as he awaited an explanation.

"Cho's pregnant. I'm gonna be a bloody father!" George exclaimed, his face alight. Charlie hadn't seen his brother this happy in… well honestly, he didn't know how long it had been.

"Mum's going to murder you," Percy pointed out.

"You know, Perce, some people say congratulations," Charlie pointed out jovially, making it obvious he was just kidding. The war had changed his bookish brother, but Percy still did not take well to jokes being made at his expense.

George's face grew momentarily serious. "Oh no. Mum is not finding out about the baby until after the wedding. He or she is going to be our honeymoon souvenir."

"You do realize she's going to notice something's wrong when the baby appears two or three months early," Bill added.

George frowned. He obviously hadn't thought that far ahead. "Do you think I could ask Cho to hold on for a month or two?"

"She'll strangle you," Ron said, downing the rest of his drink.

The door to the Three Broomsticks burst open, and Lee returned, Oliver, Harry, and Marcus close behind. "I have done it!" he announced triumphantly, ensuring all eyes were on him. "Wait a sec… why do you all seem so happy? What did we miss?"

"George is pregnant," Ron said.

"That's physically impossible," Percy said. Everyone ignored him.

"Wait… you… and Cho? You knocked up Cho?" Lee gasped.

"What I believe he's trying to say," Marcus said, "Is that we're all very happy for you. You two are going to be great parents."

"Thanks mate," George replied, shaking Marcus's hand. "So what's the new plan, Lee?"

He smirked. "Thanks to my keen sense of direction and intuition-"

"Also known as a cellular phone, which Katie forced him to obtain earlier this year," Harry interrupted. Charlie wasn't entirely sure how the device work, but Ellyn Kroitzer, one of the other dragon keepers always had one tucked in her back pocket. Some of the others nodded in understanding.

"Thanks Harry, thanks a lot. Steal my thunder. Anyways, I know where the girls are. Katie said that they've already done most of their pub hopping and gifts and such, so it would be alright if we joined them. If you guys want to, that is."

Charlie was ambivalent. Most of the girls were his brothers' significant others, or he didn't know them well. But the group was nodding in agreement, and actually seemed excited at the prospect of uniting the stags and hens, so he agreed to go.

"I'll take care of the tab," he said as the others collected themselves.

He removed the pouch full of galleons and counted out twenty-eight. Each brother had saved in order to contribute seven toward the cost of the party for George. "Here you go, Rosmerta. This should cover the tab, and there's some extra for you."

She counted the coins expertly, ensuring there was enough to cover the tab, and her mouth formed an 'o' as she realized just how much was there. "Are you boys sure you don't want change?"

"Absolutely not. We really appreciate you letting us have this party here for Georgie."

She shook her head. "You Weasley's really are too much for me. Now go on and have some fun with your brothers. You'll be back with your dragons sooner than you know it!"

* * *

"See 'Leesh. This is fun," Angelina said as she bobbed up and down to the music, as if explaining ancient runes to a small child. Alicia smiled, though she didn't appreciate the mocking. She would smile even if the building fell down around them, if only to prove to Angelina that she could still have fun. Sure, Angie's year had been just as difficult as her own, but she didn't understand. No one understood…

_There you go again. You're pathetic, you know. Everything about you is pathetic._

Alicia hated that she was so full of self pity, but honestly, she didn't know how else to act anymore. So she continued to be a horribly self-absorbed, self-pitying, moping shell of a human- and she hated herself for it.

She broadened the grin on her face, ignoring her racing, tumultuous thoughts. They thought she couldn't have fun? Oh she would have fun, alright.

Katie danced over to her, a bright pink drink in one of her hands. "Ahhh finally! Finally you're dancing! I thought I was going to have to drag you over here!" She grabbed one of Alicia's hands, forcing her to spin. "And I'm so glad you wore the dress. It looks fabulous on you!"

Alicia nodded her thanks, though the dress left her feeling more naked than gorgeous.

The DJ switched from a pop song to a hip-hop song, like her muggle friend Parminder enjoyed blasting in the stereo of her car whenever she was driving. The residents of Gadley always knew when she was driving by, as the houses began vibrating from the bass in her stereo. Katie danced away, sipping from her drinks, leaving Alicia dancing awkwardly on her own.

She felt a tap on her shoulder. "I still owe you a drink," Cho said with a smile.

"I really shouldn't," Alicia replied, though a little voice in the back of her head was urging her to just accept one. _It's not like one would hurt._

"Really, I owe you so much. Please let me just buy you something. Think of it as your wedding gift to me. You're off the hook for toasters and silverware."

Alicia laughed, this time a genuine one. "Fine. But just one!" she replied, allowing Cho to lead the way to the bar.

_It's just one drink. Not the end of the world. I know now. I've learned. Maybe it'll help me loosen up. Just one drink, and I'm done for the night. I'm not falling into the old trap. I'm too smart to do that…_

_

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**Hey everybody! It was great to see that so many people are still reading! Special thanks to last chapter's reviewers: Werden, cinroc, and Nelle07. Next chapter: the parties reunite and Alicia hits rock bottom. Please leave a review and let me know what you think! It is always greatly appreciated! **


	7. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Lyrics come from the song "Judas" by Kelly Clarkson.**

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**Chapter 6**

_Selfish and lonely _

_What's your problem?_

_Letting go of you and this_

_Is harder than I thought_

_-_Kelly Clarkson

* * *

The first drink was the hardest to swallow. Alicia had never been one for "girly" drinks, and the overbearing saccharine flavor, combined with the now-unfamiliar taste of alcohol, hit her hard. Much harder, in fact, than she anticipated. The smirk on Cho's face made Alicia suspect that the bride had ordered a double shot of whatever liquor was in the martini-margarita-piña-whatever she was drinking.

Still, Cho had spent money to buy her the drink. Alicia forced it down her throat as the bride casually sipped on her soda water, blissfully unaware of the battle with her stomach to keep the drink down.

_This is a good thing. It's a sign,_ Alicia thought. _I couldn't possibly drink another after experiencing that. I'm done, and I haven't destroyed all of my efforts to stay sober._

With a bit of a buzz after finishing the large, pink drink and no desire to drink again lest she actually throw up this time, she was certain she'd be fine. A smile passed over her lips at this realization. As the alcohol poured through her veins, she felt ready to finally join in the fun of the party without becoming a drunken mess.

"Ready to dance now?" Cho asked. "I saw you shying away from the dance floor all night and chocked it up to nerves. Don't worry, 'Leesh, it's not like any of us can dance either."

Cho thought she'd been avoiding the fun because she was too shy to dance? Alicia ten minutes ago would have been internally cursing her, wondering how she could be so oblivious to her terrible, miserable life. Buzzed Alicia just ignored it and let it be. She was happy and ready to party with her girlfriends, to celebrate the end of Cho's single life.

Happy.

Come to think of it, Alicia hadn't been this happy in months. Life had been pressing down on her chest, like a ten ton anvil that fell on the cartoon characters of the muggle television shows she watched as a child. The growing despair, the desperate searching for Bletchley, the isolation from all those she knew- all these things contributed to her despondent feelings.

Why the hell had she ever stopped drinking, when drinking was the one thing that kept her happy? Enough was enough. She wanted to be happy again. Dwelling in misery was not the way to live her life. If alcohol was the one thing that kept her smiling, then she was going to drink as much as she could get her hands on.

"Are you coming Alicia?" Cho asked, pulling her from her thoughts. She was already bobbing to the beat of the techno music, her "I'm The Bride" sash askew.

"I'm just gonna grab another drink. But I'll be there."

Cho winked, making her way over to the rest of their group. Alicia went back to the bar, which was surrounded by people, all various degrees of inebriated. She was pushing her way through them as best she could, when someone tapped her shoulder.

He was tall with brown hair and blue eyes. He had freckles and tattoo on his arm. Alicia had no idea who he was, but when the words, "Buy you a drink?" came out of his mouth, she said yes anyway.

It took a few moments, but when the drink was placed in her hand, she kissed the strange boy briefly on the cheek and walked away, downing it as fast as she could.

This one went down much easier than the first.

* * *

When Charlie stepped out of the fireplace at the address Oliver had given him, he nearly ran down George, who had not moved from where landed upon his arrival.

"Oi, you're holding up the line, Georgie," he said, playfully shoving his brother forward. It was only then he saw just what was so awe-inspiring to the younger man.

The apartment was the epitome of the perfect bachelor's pad. Designed like an old-fashioned smoking room, the living room was large and open, the walls plastered with posters of the sexiest women in Quidditch. Across from where he stood, the Hollyhead Harpies's Gwenog Jones winked at him as she threw the quaffle down the field. A fully stocked bar lined the wall, and in the center of the room stood one of Charlie's favorite muggle pastimes- a foosball table. It reminded Charlie of home at the dragon reserve, where two American keepers had insisted they invest in one for the recreation room (an investment that had been well worth it!).

Charlie heard a pop behind him, and forced himself to stop staring and move away from the fireplace. Oliver and Lee stepped into the room.

"Bloody hell, Ollie, you've been holding out on us! Where the hell are we?" Lee exclaimed loudly, staggering towards the bar. He was absolutely sloshed.

"The owners of Puddlemere United own a place in all the cities we play. So we can relax after games and shite. You know, team meetings."

Percy and Marcus stepped out next, and after taking one look around the room, the ex-Slytherin chaser asked, "Can we move the party here?"

Oliver smirked. "Nope. For Puddlemere players only, mate." The two men glared at each other briefly, old rivalry still remaining after all these years though the hatred had subsided.

"Oi, who impaled the little men on the metal rods?" Lee shouted, half-sprawled across the foosball table. "Hey they twirl!"

"He is officially cut off from all alcoholic beverages the rest of the night," George said, as the rest of the stag party arrived.

"Fun killer," Lee muttered.

"Can we find the girls before you destroy this place?" Oliver asked, eyes darting about the room to ensure everyone behaved. He nodded towards the poster. "The boys'll kill me if anyone hurts poor Gwenog."

Hauling Lee, who had moved from pondering foosball to singing bawdy songs of house elves and trolls, over his shoulder, Charlie helped George and Oliver corral the rest of the party. The three led them out the door onto the streets of Leeds towards the bar where the girls waited.

* * *

Angelina sipped slowly at her sangria, enjoying the ability to dance carelessly with her friends. Sure, occasionally her mind slipped back to the Yule Ball her sixth year, when she was dancing wrapped up in Fred's arms. But he was gone now, and as much as it had hurt to acknowledge it, life went on without him. Thank Merlin for Molly Weasley, who'd sat her down and talked sense into her five months after the final battle, when she was refusing to stop wearing her mourning robes. Somehow, that woman always knew how to fix things. She had perspective, and the logic that came only from having children.

Sometimes Angelina wished they'd brought Alicia to her. Molly would have had a hell of a time with that project. Alicia's morbidly depressing behavior made Harry's brooding and mood swings during his fifth year look like a picnic. She understood that the loss and shock that Alicia had been through was devastating, and much worse than she had experienced, but whereas she and Harry had begun taking steps towards a normal life, Alicia persisted in regressing.

"I'm gonna grab another drink!" Ginny shouted at her over the music.

She nodded that she'd heard, and felt someone tug on her sleeve. Ready to tell another drunk, preppy muggle student to bugger off, she saw Katie trying to get her attention. "What's wrong?"

"Have you seen Alicia?"

_Speak of the devil…_

"No, she was with Cho a few minutes ago I think."

Katie frowned. "You think? Angie, she's a recovering alcoholic. We brought her to the worst possible places for her, and thank God she's strong, because she's managed to resist drinking all night. But she's also had us keeping an eye on her—"

"Keeping an eye on her. That's what we always do, isn't it, Katie? When was the last time all of us went out together where we didn't have to keep an eye on Alicia? Where we could do whatever we damn well pleased and not have to worry about Alicia breaking down? When we're all together, everything bloody revolves around her. Not that she even makes an effort to spend time with us anymore. We practically have to drag her out of the house. So excuse me if I want to have a little fun with my friends without having to babysit her."

Angelina had not expected such an outburst to come tumbling out of her mouth. Her frustration with Alicia had grown in the past few months, but the speech she'd just given was downright bitchy and unfeeling. "Katie, I didn't mean…"

"You don't think I get frustrated with this too? You don't think I'd like to have a glass of wine when we go out to dinner? Alicia is our best friend, no matter how distant she gets or how crazy she acts, and if you won't look out for her, then I will!" Katie's eyes showed her disgust at Angelina's words, but softened quickly. "I know this hasn't been the easiest year and a half for you either. Some days I wonder how I made it out of the war so lucky. You lost Fred, 'Leesh lost her parents. All I had was a cursed necklace. Now let's just find Alicia, alright?"

Angelina just nodded.

"Can I tell you something?" Katie asked suddenly. "I've been starting to wonder whether or not we can save her lately. And I don't think we can."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I think we need to get a professional. My Aunt Fay had a problem for a while. She downed prescription drugs like they were candy. My mom and my Uncle Alfie sent her to a rehabilitation clinic, with doctors and psychiatrists. I think we need to start considering something like that for Alicia."

"Do they make those for wizards?" Angelina asked.

"I hope so."

"Why so serious?" Cho's smiling face appeared before them as if from nowhere. "Why aren't you guys dancing? I even got Alicia to dance, though I had to practically bribe her!"

"Bribe her?"

Cho sighed playfully. "Well, ok, I didn't need to bribe her. But I finally paid her back the drink I owed her for making my wedding dress. I bought her my favorite, an amaretto sour. She'd never had one before."

Angelina didn't say anything, and was glad when Katie didn't either. Cho's grin faded. "What happened? Did I do something wrong?"

"No!" Angelina insisted quickly. "No, you—hey, isn't that George? And is Charlie carrying Lee?" Through the door, the stag party flooded.

"What did that idiot do to himself?" she heard Katie mutter, stalking towards Charlie and Lee. Cho hurried after her, kissing George soundly as he walked through the door.

Feeling guilty after her outburst, Angelina continued looking for Alicia. Pushing past dancers, she saw Audrey and Fleur.

"Have you seen Alicia?" she asked.

"Purple dress? Brown hair?" Audrey asked. While she and Percy had been dating quite a while, she still wasn't as familiar with all of the family friends.

Angelina nodded. "She's over there… smothering that muggle guy…"

Turning around, she sighed as she watched the scene unfold. The damage was already done. Alicia was binging.

* * *

If there was one thing Alicia was going to do after tonight, it was thanking Katie Bell for making her wear this gorgeous purple halter dress. Boys liked her dress. Boys also liked buying her drinks while she was wearing the dress.

Five drinks down, and she was contemplating wearing the dress every night for the rest of her life.

"Buy you a drink?" her current dance partner whispered in her ear, undertones of seduction obvious. He was burly, like a Quidditch player, and had shaggy blonde hair that fell in his eyes. He was playing with her hair, his other hand firmly attached to her waist. She wouldn't hate herself too terribly in the morning if she woke up next to him.

"That'd be great," Alicia replied, taking his hand and dragging him back to the bar.

"Shots?" blonde haired guy asked. She wondered if he had a real name, then decided she didn't care.

She smiled. "Lead the way, love."

* * *

Charlie and Marcus were waiting in line at the bar, both trying to mimic the attitudes of the young men around them. There were very few times he felt he could relate with the former Slytherin, but being fairly isolated to the muggle world made them both stick out like a sore thumb.

"I liked the Three Broomstick's better," Marcus said bluntly.

He quickly agreed. This place was crowded, reeked of alcohol, and girls were stumbling all over. The music throbbed, the drum beats getting louder and louder. Charlie thought maybe he was just getting old, and took comfort in the fact that Marcus felt the same way. Not that Marcus was much younger than he was.

A shrill giggle filled suddenly filled his ear, and a body rammed into his side. "Watch where you're bloody walking!" the girl shouted at him.

Charlie looked down, ready to tell the girl off as _she _was the one who had been walking. He stopped short, "Alicia?"

"Char Char!" she squealed, pulling him into a death grip hug, all the while careful not to spill the large drink in her hand. "I didn' know you were here. This's my new friend… whatsyer name again?"

"Tod," the scrawny black haired guy replied. Charlie thought he resembled a much younger Snape. Tod grinned, but didn't look Charlie in the eyes. They were focused on the low cut of Alicia's dress.

"Eyes up, friend," Marcus said, a vicious protectiveness in his voice as he joined the conversation. "Alicia, what the hell are you doing?"

"Can it, Marky, I'm having fun. Why can't I have some sodding fun every once in a while? It's like all of you want me to be depressed. C'mon Tad." She dragged him into the crowd, away from the two men.

"It's Tod!"

Charlie stared in wonder. "Someone's had a hell of a night," he joked. He'd never seen Alicia drunk before, it was almost funny. "Almost want to follow her and see what else she does."

It was a time honored tradition when the dragon keepers in Romania went out on the town. Whenever someone got blasted, really and truly drunk to the point of nearly blacking out, one of the more sober keepers would keep track of every hysterical word that escaped their mouth. Charlie had only been a victim of such a prank once thus far.

"I don't think so," Marcus said, a serious look on his face.

"Are you sweet on 'Leesh?"

"No! I'll explain everything later. We need to get her out of here." He grabbed Charlie's wrist, trying to pull him out of line.

"C'mon mate, she's just had a few too many drinks. She'll sleep it off and be fine in the morning," Charlie said. Everyone was at the bar; they'd make sure she got home in one piece.

"No, she won't," Marcus insisted. Charlie stopped struggling, when he the same stare he gave his competitors on the playing field. "Could you just trust me? Let's find Angelina and Katie, and get Alicia home, alright?"

Charlie could tell he was worried. "Of course. The girls should be nearby."

* * *

_Where did Ted go? _Alicia wondered. She contemplated looking for him, but she was certain any attempt at movement would cause her to fall over.

"I was afraid you'd left!" she heard someone say behind her. It was the brown-haired guy that she'd kissed on the cheek earlier in the evening. "Wanna dance?"

When she nodded, he pulled her close, bodies molded into each other. "I'm glad I caught you," he said softly in her ear. They danced slowly, though the song was upbeat and the rhythm driving. "You're drop dead gorgeous love, you know? And I think we could have fun together. You don't look like someone looking for commitment-"

"I'm not," Alicia whispered, her breathing quickening. She didn't know this guy, but he knew all the right words to say. She liked it.

"Neither am I." He pressed his lips against her's, kissing her gently, but with insistence. "The name's Cass by the way. Short for Cassius. My parents had a thing for Julius Caesar."

Alicia didn't care what his name was. All she knew was that she liked the way his hands were running up and down her back and playing with the tie of her dress. She liked the way his tongue was sneaking between her lips and the way he moved against her as the music played. Her eyes closed and she took in the sensation, hoping it would end with the two of them in a bed. His or hers, she didn't care.

Judgment? What judgment? Really, who needed that?

Cass kissed his way up her cheek, and whispered in her ear, "Come home with me tonight?"

She smiled, and was ready to agree until she opened her eyes. Staring back at her was Miles Bletchley.

* * *

Having successfully located Angelina- Katie was outside the bar with a vomiting Lee- Charlie and Marcus began their search for Alicia. Charlie was convinced it couldn't be difficult- how hard was it to find one girl in a bar?

It was easier than he thought.

As they entered the dance floor, screams burst forth. "GET AWAY FROM ME! DON' TOUCH ME BLETCHLEY!"

"Oh no," Angelina mumbled.

The other bar patrons began clearing away from where Alicia was screaming, pushing a man who was most definitely not Miles Bletchley away from her.

"I'M GONNA KILL YOU! YOU KILLED THEM AND I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"

There was no more music. The patrons could hear each word, and began panicking once they heard her shout kill. En masse they moved for the door. Charlie saw one of the bouncers coming towards her, and Alicia fumbling for her wand. Thank Merlin there was nowhere in her dress to conceal it. It had been left behind at the Burrow.

"I didn't touch her!" the guy Alicia had been dancing with said quickly, hands up in the air. "I swear, I didn't do anything!" Charlie ignored him, and the guy bolted for the door.

"'Leesh, c'mon."

"Don' let him escape, Charlieeeee! Not like at the King's Cross."

The huge bouncer grabbed Charlie by the shoulder. "What the fuck are you kids doing?"

Marcus clasped the bouncer by the shoulder, pulling him aside and whispering something in his ear that suddenly made his face show a bit more understanding. "I'm sorry to hear that," he replied to Marcus. "You're going to have to leave though. Bad for business when someone has a mental breakdown. I'm sure you understand."

"Charlie, what's going on?" Bill asked, Fleur and Audrey at his side.

"We're leaving. Get the others and follow Oliver back to his place. We can get to the Burrow from there. Marcus, Angelina, will you help him? I'll take care of her."

Alicia stood alone at the center of the now well-lit dance floor, her face a mix of confusion and sadness. Her dress was askew, the tie on her neck loosened. Her hair was matted and sweaty, and her makeup running. She was wobbling back and forth, ready to pass out at any moment.

"Where's Cass, Char? He's gonna take me home…" she asked.

"I'm taking you home 'Leesh," he said. He contemplated tossing her over his shoulder, but given the length of her dress, it would never have worked without embarrassing her even more. "C'mon, hold onto me, we'll get you home."

"You're taking me home? That's nice… I always thought you'd be good in bed…"

Charlie stopped dead in his tracks at the words. He wanted to laugh, but after the scene he witnessed, he knew he couldn't. Talk of murder and Miles Bletchley, in combination with Alicia's disappointment that she didn't get to handle the man herself at King's Cross, had him questioning just how much he knew of her experiences during the war.

"Can we play Quidditch tonight? I like to hit the bludgers…" Alicia mumbled, walking into Charlie instead of towards the door, forcing him to focus.

The bouncer held it open for them, and wished Charlie luck in getting her home. He wished himself luck too, because Alicia had barely taken two steps out the door of the bar before she passed out. With a sigh, he pulled her into an ally and decided to risk apparating.

At this point, splinching Alicia was the least of his concern.

* * *

**Hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Thanks to everyone who has been reading, and especially to my reviewers: Werden, cinroc, TheFictionGeeksOfDoom, and Nelle07. You're all fabulous! Next chapter: later that night and the morning after! Don't forget to review! Best wishes!**


	8. Chapter 7

**_D_isclaimer: Nope, Harry Potter is not mine. It belongs to the fabulous JK Rowling, as do the lyrics to A Cauldron Full of Love. Lyrics are from "Her Diamonds" by Rob Thomas.**

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**Chapter 7**

_Her tears like _

_Diamonds on the floor_

_And her diamonds bring me down_

_Cause I can't help her…_

-Rob Thomas

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"Charrrrrlie…" Alicia purred, her head lolling back and forth with each step she took like a bobble head doll. He was annoyed with himself and his apparently lack of apparating skills. They'd landed nearly a mile away from the Burrow. With some luck, he'd managed to avoid any splinching, but he wasn't willing to risk trying again.

He tightened his grip around her shoulders, certain at any moment she was going to pass out. "Charlieeee I wanna dance. Nobody ever dances anymore."

"You danced all night, 'Leesh," Charlie sighed, thanking Merlin that he could see the Burrow up ahead. The lights were blazing, and black figures were scurrying past the windows. Just a few more minutes, and Alicia would be safe in bed and out of his hands.

"Noooo. No, no no," she whined. "You didn' dance with me. You came late an' made me go home. I. WANT. TO. DANCE! NOW!"

He never imagined that Alicia would be a belligerent drunk. Then again, Charlie was quickly realizing he had a lot of misconceptions about her.

She pulled out of his arms, even though he was the only thing preventing her from falling. Stumbling forward a few steps, she pulled herself up and twirled unsteadily. "Oh come and stir my cauldron, and if you do it right, I'll boil you up some hot strong love to keep you warm tonight," Alicia sang.

Charlie rolled his eyes. His mother loved this song, sang it all the time while she was cleaning. "Oh come and stir my…"

Stopping mid-twirl, Alicia went careening off the road and puked, gripping a rickety fence for support. "Charlie I don't feel so good…" Joining her on the side of the road, he moved her hair away from her face as she threw up again. She clutched the beams of the railing, her knuckles white.

"Can I go home now?"

"We're going to the Burrow. You can stay there tonight."

Alicia smiled contently, as if she'd not been sick at all. "Alright! Lead the way, good sir."

She promptly collapsed to the ground.

With a sigh, Charlie picked her up and began carrying her best he could in the short dress. One wrong lift and the critters hiding in the bushes on the side of the road would be getting more of a view than anticipated.

They weren't that far from home, and he thanked whatever higher being there was for that. Turning Alicia over to the expert care of his mother would be the biggest relief of the night.

OOO

"Ron, Oliver I have some extra blankets and pillows somewhere in the attic, could you grab them for me? Take your wands, the ghoul up there has been acting up lately. Fleur, can you help me get a bed together upstairs? Audrey and Percy, watch the kids. Katie, has Lee stopped getting sick?"

Molly Weasley asked, commanding the twenty-somethings as if she was the leader of Dumbledore's Army. The tone of her voice made it clear that no arguments would be accepted.

After raising seven children and living through two of the worst wars in wizarding history, very little shocked Molly. But when Bill had explained to her why the festivities had been cut short, she'd felt her jaw drop. Alicia never struck her as the type to drink to excess. In fact, the girl seemed to have her head screwed on just a bit tighter than the rest of her friends- her twin sons included.

Taking a deep breath, she looked around the living room. The wedding party had scattered, with the exception of Fleur, who stood patiently waiting for Molly to indicate they would go upstairs. "Come on, dear. Let's go get things together for Alicia. Is she really quite as bad as Angelina and Katie said?"

"She eez barely standing, last I saw 'er," Fleur said, a tone of distaste in her voice.

Hearing voices as she passed an open window near the stairs, Molly peaked out. She knew it was eavesdropping, but considering the events of the night, she felt justified.

"We can't do that, Angie. We promised her," Marcus hissed, though he did not sound malevolent. His voice was filled with concern.

"How much more can we do, Marc? We thought she was ok, and she isn't," Angelina insisted.

"Of course she isn't ok! You brought her right into the lion's den tonight! You don't bring an alcoholic bar hopping!"

Angelina grunted in frustration. "Marcus! _We _can't control what she chooses to do. Cho doesn't know about Alicia's problem, and she wanted to go bar hopping for her hen party. She invited Alicia, and it was Alicia's decision to come. Katie and I watched her as best we could, but damnit Marc, we can't stalk her around. She has to make her own decisions at some point!"

"I know, I know, you're right," Marcus sighed, massaging his forehead. Molly couldn't help but wonder if the young man's feelings for Alicia were more than friendly. "But I'd feel better if we talked to her first. We can't just go behind her back."

"Molly needs to know."

"I don't know…"

"Mum." Bill's head popped up at the bottom of the stairs. "Charlie'll be here in a second. I can see him out on the road."

Nodding, Molly ushered Fleur up the stairs, determined that once Alicia was settled in bed, she would have the whole story out of her son and his friends.

OOO

"Just up the steps now, 'Leesh," Charlie said softly.

In his arms, she snorted, mumbling something about kicking 'his' ass. Charlie had his ideas who _he _was, number one on his list being Miles Bletchley.

The moldering wooden steps creaked and bent under the weight of the two people. He put Alicia on the ground, leaning her against his chest so he could free his hand to pound on the door. Seconds later, it was pulled open, and Charlie was happy to see Bill and Marcus there, ready to take Alicia off his hands.

"Glad you could make it, little brother," Bill said, as Marcus picked up Alicia. Charlie watched as he ascended the stairs, disappearing around the turn. He felt better knowing that in a few moments, his mother would have the girl in bed recuperating. "Mum left some tea on the table for you. Biscuits too. She said once you're done, we have to round up everyone who knows what's wrong with Alicia. Mum wants answers."

Charlie smirked. "I am certainly glad I'm not one of those people." He was looking forward to reuniting with his bed. Though he may have been sober enough to get Alicia home, he had plenty of alcohol running through his body, and it was time to sleep it off.

"Oh, it gets better. Guess who gets to be the interrogator?" Bill asked. Charlie immediately groaned, knowing what was about to happen. "She doesn't want to leave Alicia alone, so it's you and me who get to play the Spanish Inquisition."

"Joyous." Downing the tea in two long gulps that burned his throat, he said, "Let's get this over with." He pocketed the biscuits, having an inkling that he might need them later.

Hell, if this went down like he thought it would, he just might need some more fire whisky.

OOO

Angelina nervously glanced sideways at Katie, who shared a grimace with her as she supported a half-asleep Lee on her shoulder. Bill and Charlie had entered the room, looking more intimidating than they ever had before. She started playing with her hair, twirling it around her finger, needing some way to release the tension she was feeling.

Not everyone needed to be here. Every guest from the stag and hen party was sitting in the living room. If she was going to tell, it would just be Bill and Charlie. Of course, she was certain that they would probably let the entire story slip to everyone else, but that could wait. Alicia didn't need that sort of embarrassment right now.

As if he had read her mind, Bill said, "I want everyone who doesn't know the reason why Alicia gave herself alcohol poisoning tonight out of the room. Now."  
Out of the corner of her eye, Angelina saw Ginny give her brothers an incredulous look. _C'mon Gin, let it go,_ she thought. _Just go with this for once, please._

Moments later, only Marcus, Katie, Lee, George, and herself remained on the couch in the living room.

"What the hell happened tonight?" Bill asked gruffly. "Alicia practically drank herself to death, and thank God she didn't have her wand, cause we would have had a hell of a lot more problems if she did. Doesn't she know her limits?"

"She used to," Lee muttered as he drifted off to sleep. Katie elbowed him in the side hard, causing his head to shoot up.

"She doesn't normally drink," Marcus insisted.

"Yeah after… I mean, 'Leesh was never much of a partier," George added. Angelina couldn't help but roll her eyes. Couldn't the boys see that the only way to help Alicia was to tell her secret? Good lord, they hadn't been able to stop her from sinking further into this spiral of depression- tonight had been the proof of that.

"Is there something you'd like to share, little brother?" Charlie added. "If Alicia needs help, we need to know."

"We have to tell them," Katie said firmly.

"We promised her!" George replied.

"But Georgie, Charlie's right. If she starts again, she'll be an easy target," Katie added, squeezing Lee's hand for comfort as she prepared to betray Alicia's trust. "There are still Death Eaters out there, and they know she was part of the Order of the Phoenix. She's vulnerable."

The five shared a look, before silently agreeing that it was time to share the secret they'd been keeping since war's end.

"It all goes back to the war," Katie began. "''Leesh was really hesitant to participate in any type of resistance again the Dark Lord. It wasn't that she supported him. She was afraid she'd make her family an easy target. She's a muggle born."

"So's Hermione," Charlie pointed out.

"It's not that simple. Think about it, how often is Hermione home with her family? She avoids it. She's much more at home in the wizarding world," George pointed out. "Besides, she's an only child. Alicia comes from a big family. She's the oldest of four kids. The only wizard of the bunch. She was incredibly close to her family, and they've really embraced the magical community. She couldn't risk. She wouldn't."

"Was incredibly close?" Bill asked. "What happened to the Spinnets?"

"Murdered, the night of the raid on Huntingdon," Marcus said somberly. Angelina watched as Charlie and Bill's faces slowly morphed from annoyance at having to deal with this situation to shock and anger.

"What the hell? Why didn't anyone tell us? How did this stay a secret for so damned long?" Bill shouted angrily, his face red with rage. Taking a breath, he composed himself. "How?"

"The Spinnet's house was supposed to be safe. Alicia was their secret keeper." Marcus's voice was soft. "She was leaving work at Madam Malkin's that night when she was attacked by Miles Bletchley. He used Imperius to have her reveal the location of her family's home, and forced her to apparate there. Then he killed all of them. Miles only let her live so she could suffer from the guilt, that she had betrayed her family."

"When Miles left, Alicia called for me and Fred using her Patronus. We brought her back to the flat. I wanted to call the Order, but Alicia wouldn't let us. She asked for Kingsley, and he came over as soon as he could. She didn't want anyone to know what happened, didn't want the world to know what she had done to her family. I… we told her it wasn't her fault, but she just wouldn't listen."

"I hosted Potterwatch that night, as planned," Lee chimed in, now coherent enough to participate in the discussion. "Fred and George came too. We announced the death of the family in Gadley only as a family of muggles. To respect her wishes."

"I went with Kingsley," Angelina said. "Katie stayed to watch Alicia, but I went to the house with him. It was… unbearable. Her siblings were so much younger than her. I'll never get that image out of my head, the three of them lying on the bed, just dead. We broke a pipe in the basement to make it look like carbon monoxide poisoning. Apparently a lot of muggles die that way, at least that's what Kingsley told me. It doesn't leave any marks on the body, like the killing curse."

"Bletchley came to me that night," Marcus said. "He'd been trying for months to get me to pledge loyalty to Voldemort."

Angelina cringed, an inherent reaction she hadn't lost even after the evil wizard's death.

"He bragged about what he'd done, took so much pride in it. I tried to restrain him, but he apparated before I got a chance. I notified Dumbledore to what had happened by owl- the Death Eaters had enough trust in me that that didn't bother to search mine. Then I went to find Alicia."

Bill and Charlie were caught up in the story, their faces in a state of constant shock. Angelina felt it was time to get to the point, and jumped back in. "Dumbledore came to us the next day. He helped us bury her family in a small cemetery outside Gadley once the cause of death had been determined by the police chief. Alicia and Marcus joined the Order of the Phoenix that day."

"But what does all of this have to do with tonight?" Charlie asked, pulling a biscuit out of his pocket and munching on it.

"Alicia took the murders hard, but she never let the anger out. Remember, after the raid on Huntingdon, Percy and Audrey were pretty much presumed dead. The Order took a huge hit that night. Alicia threw herself into working for the Order, her only focus on defeating the Death Eaters and ending the war. We thought maybe once You-Know-Who was defeated, she would finally be able to let it out, but she never did," Katie said.

"It didn't though, did it?" Bill's face was full of understanding, and Angelina knew that he was starting to realize all the signs he'd missed. Charlie hadn't been around as much, he probably would never have known considering how soon after the final battle he returned to Romania. She supposed he had his own way of handling his grief. But Bill had been here, Bill had seen Alicia in the ensuing months. "I should have known."

"We all should have known," Marcus said. "She started drinking at the end of the war; we were all just too preoccupied to give it credence. She'd show up to guard duty in yesterday's clothes looking like death warmed over, but one sip from her water bottle and she seemed like a new person. Apparently fire whisky works wonders like that. None of us ever said a word."

"But we did figure it out," Katie pointed out. "When my friend Leanne got married, about two and a half months after the war ended. I missed a dress fitting, and arranged to meet with Alicia after hours at Madam Malkin's. In all honesty, when I got there, I thought someone had murdered her. She was sprawled across the floor. But when I checked she was breathing, she reeked of alcohol."

Angelina took it upon herself to explain their intervention- how they confronted Alicia in the hospital after she'd gotten her stomach pumped, how the last year and a half was a constant battle to make sure she didn't relapse, how Alicia had distanced herself from them even more once the drinking stopped. As she spoke, she struggled to hold back her tears. Life had changed so very drastically since they were eager sixth years, counting down the days til graduation from Hogwarts, their biggest concern beating Slytherin for the House Cup and Quidditch title. She felt Marcus squeeze her hand. She squeezed back.

That's when Katie jumped in with her suggestion. "She needs help. Someone professional. Muggles have rehab, but we don't know if there's anybody in the wizarding world who does that sort of work…"

"We do," Molly Weasley said from the staircase, where she had apparently been listening longer than Angelina realized. "But there's a certain amount of stigmata that goes with those facilities. Going there is not something to be taken lightly. It's an outdated sentiment, but Alicia could be ostracized the rest of her life for going there. Ridiculous really. Get some sleep, all of you. I have mattresses set up upstairs. We'll talk more in the morning, when we have clear heads. Don't worry your heads. We _will _find a way to help Alicia."

OOO

_Someone's had a hell of an night… almost wanna follow her and see what happens…_

Charlie's words flowed through his brain like a river. He knew he shouldn't have felt guilty; there was no way he could have known what happened. Maybe he shouldn't have returned to Romania so soon. He just couldn't deal with his emotions being so close to his family.

But if he stayed, would he have seen?

As he slipped into the room where Alicia slept and took a seat next to the bed he couldn't help but wonder…

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**And there's another chapter! Next chapter: a confrontation, a meeting with Kingsley, a hangover, and a plan. Thanks to everyone who read, and especially those who reviewed: Werden, cinroc, and Nelle07. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please leave a review and let me know what you think, especially if you haven't ever before. Constructive criticism makes me happy! Plus, I love to hear from you!**


	9. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine! Lyrics from "Lost" by Katy Perry. **

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**Chapter 8**

_I'm pushing everyone away_

_Cause I can't feel this anymore_

_Have you ever felt so lost?_

_Known the way, but still so lost?_

-Katy Perry

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Long after his friends had drifted off to sleep, George sat silently in the living room of the Burrow, listless. If only Fred was here, they would have broken the tension. If Fred were here, they'd have double teamed Alicia, proven to her that life was worth living again. If Fred were here…

But Fred wasn't here, and George was half the person he used to be. Less than half. Lost in his own depression, he'd ignored and avoided his friends' problems because he could barely stand to leave his room, much less talk to those who knew him as part of Gred and Forge.

"Damnit," he muttered, pushing himself off the couch, slamming a fist into the wall. He was something, now, wasn't he? Bloody lucky he had any friends left. Fred wouldn't have wanted it to be like this. But Fred never had to live through the loss of his twin.

In a way, George was glad Fred didn't have to live like this. And he felt like a right bastard for thinking it.

_Can't beat yourself up over this all night, Gred, _he heard Fred say in his mind. _What's done is done. It's out in the open now, all you can do is work toward fixing it. _

Knowing the little voice in his head was right, George headed for bed…

…only to find his path blocked by his fiancé.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He could tell from the tone in her voice she was angry. And not cute angry, like when they discovered they cheered for rival Quidditch teams.

She might even be verging on furious.

"Why didn't I tell you what?"

"About Alicia! Don't be a bloody fool, George! You watched me plan my hen party, you helped me owl the invitations, you waited with me for Alicia to arrive tonight when she was running late. And not _once _during that whole time did it ever occur to you to tell me that she's an alcoholic? Are you bloody mad, George Weasley?" Her harsh whisper was starting to rise into a shout as she smacked him hard in the shoulder. It didn't hurt- Cho was tiny compared to him- but it was far from their normal behavior, even when arguing. "She could have died tonight, and it would have been my fault. I led her right in to the dragon's den, and you didn't do a damn thing to stop me! What the hell is wrong with you?"

"We promised—"

This time she skipped the shoulder and slapped him across the face. It stung. "I'm going to be your wife! We don't have secrets from each other!"

They stood facing each other, completely silent. George knew he was in the wrong; that he should have spoken up when she started planning the party. But he'd promised, and Angelina and Katie had reassured him that it wouldn't be a problem, that they would be watching.

"I get it, you know," she said softly, calmer now. "The five of you have been best friends since your first year. I don't expect you all to tell me everything, just like I hope you don't expect me to tell you every stupid girly secret Marietta and I have. I trust you, George. But things like that? If it affects me, yeah I need to know. I could have changed our plans; it wouldn't have been a problem. You let me look like a fool."

"Cho—"

"I bought her the first drink tonight. Practically forced it into her hands," she said harshly, the heart of the matter revealed. She felt guilty for the events that had passed. And that made George feel even guiltier. She was blaming herself for a matter so entirely outside of her control, for not knowing one of the best kept secrets of the war. "If she'd been hurt, if she'd used magic in front of those muggles…"

"It would have been my fault, not yours," George interrupted, putting a finger over her lips. He knew he'd hurt her, had betrayed her trust, and he had to stop this before it went any farther. "You're right. I'm a right bastard, not telling you that. This whole situation… it exploded those first few months after she lost her family. Spiraled out of control, and the only thing we could think of was to keep it a secret. But when it came to something that could affect you and me… I should have known better. And I'm so sorry. I really mean it, not like when mum made me and Fred apologize to Percy for jinxing his prefect badge to say Perfect Percy." Where words failed him- and so often they did these days- he inserted humor. Half-seriously he added, "And I'm hoping you still want to marry me after all this."

Cho was almost smiling now. "Don't be a fool, George Weasley. I love you, despite the fact that you may be criminally insane. We're new at all this relationship-married-parent stuff. We're learning, and we'll figure it out. But we can't have secrets like this. Agreed?"

George found himself smiling, ever so slightly, as he agreed with her. Tossing an arm around her waist, he escorted her to Ginny's bedroom, where she was staying.

No marriage was without problems- it would be stupid to think they'd be immune to it, considering that in the first twenty years of their lives they'd gone through more than many experienced in three times as many years. They would figure this out. Married life, how to raise a baby, and maybe even how to help Alicia too.

OOO

The chimes on the small mantle clock rung seven, startling Charlie awake. He couldn't help but thank Merlin that it wasn't his mother waking him.

It had been a sleepless night- that much was certain. After slipping into Alicia's room, his mother had returned. It was nearly 5:30 in the morning, but she was still bustling around, despite the obvious fact that Alicia was not going to wake for a good long while. Charlie tried to convince her to go to sleep, practically recruiting his father to drag her out of the room. Apparently his reassurances that he'd cared for many a drunken friend after a night of too much fun did not convince her that Charlie could handle the responsibility.

This would have annoyed him in his youth, but now that he was older, he couldn't help but admire his mother's acute ability to worry over and care for even the slightest acquaintances of her children.

Just short of requiring him to take an unbreakable vow that he would remain awake- and for a few moments Charlie was certain that his mother had seriously considered it- she was finally convinced to get some rest after Charlie reminded her of all the wedding preparations left.

He could explain just _why _it was so important that he be the one looking after Alicia. But in his mind it mattered immensely.

"Stupid… bloody… wanker..." Alicia muttered in her sleep, tossing onto her side. "Rip your bloody heart out, I will…"

Before tonight, he would have found her words amusing. But the sweet Alicia Spinnet he recruited to play Quidditch was not the same Alicia that lay in this bed. This girl was broken, lost. The laugh the words would have given him just a few hours ago was lost knowing that she meant everything she muttered in her sleep.

Charlie waited a moment, preparing for her to wake, but she settled right back into the bed and was silent again.

As he shifted, he felt a sharp pain. A crick in his back, thanks to the wooden rocking chair he'd spent the night in, near where he'd been injured during the final battle. He'd taken part of a curse, tossing him hard into the railing of the Hogwarts Grand Staircase, bruising down to his spine. Adjusting his weight, he tried to stretch without making the chair creek, but it was no use. It screeched across the boards. His head shot up, but Alicia remained asleep.

"Noisy, noisy," a voice whispered through the door. "Whatever would mum say?" Edging the door open further, Bill smirked, a sleeping Victoire in his arms.

"She'd have your head for speaking within forty feet of her patient. Why the hell aren't you asleep?" Standing slowly, Charlie was relieved that the chair didn't squeak this time.

"It's what happens when you have a baby. Someone gets to wake up at the crack of dawn when it's time to eat. You'd know that if you settled down," Bill chided him.

"Gee, thanks mum."

"Not a problem, baby brother. But that wasn't the reason I came up here. Victoire and I will sit with Alicia for a while. Kingsley's waiting for you in the fireplace. Something about a report?"

_Blimey, dropped the ball on that one. Kingsley's going to have my head. _

"I'll explain later. Keep an eye on her, would you?"

"Will do, right angel?" Bill asked, looking down at the drowsy baby.

Victoire cooed before rolling over in his arms, settling back to sleep.

OOO

_It never changed._

_ Always the same scene: the scattered papers, dancing in the cold gusts of wind that blew through Diagon Alley. The sense of isolation and loneliness that overtook her each time she stepped out of the shop into the relative abyss of what was once familiar. _

_ The silence._

_ Two steps out the door, and she knew what would happen, knew she should turn around, run inside, lock the doors. Hide until the morning, when the sun came out and the residents of Diagon Alley brave enough to remain there emerged from their homes._

_ But she didn't._

_ And just like he did every night, he stepped forth from the shadows, raised his wand and whispered a single word:_

_ "Imperio!"_

She woke up screaming. Eyes darting around the room, Alicia did not recognize her surroundings, and it terrified her. Her heart was pounding, and it felt like it was lodged in her throat, choking her. The deepest breaths didn't fill her lungs with air. How had she gotten here? Alicia's mind was racing, remembering another time she'd woken up in an unfamiliar place.

A second scream, more shrill and piercing than hers, hit her ears. Her first thoughts went to Dementors, and she searched desperately within the blankets that encased her for her wand. They tangled around her like vines, getting twisted and hindering her movement further. She started to panic, more than before, shouting for help.

The wail in the background grew louder.

"Alicia! Alicia, love, you're safe. It's Mrs. Weasley. No one's going to hurt you here." She felt a weight push down the mattress. Despite her first instinct to keep fighting, to not trust the woman in case it was _him _in disguise, she stopped fighting. Molly Weasley's voice instantly put her at ease.

She stopped fighting.

Instantly, Alicia found herself regretting the movement. Her stomach flip flopped, and she leaned over and threw up across the floor.

"Oh dear," she heard Mrs. Weasley murmur, rubbing her back in gentle circles. "Let's get you cleaned up. Bill, thank you for sitting with Alicia, why don't you and the baby go back to bed?"

Leaning over the edge of the bed, Alicia's stomach heaved again as memories of the night flooded her.

The drinks. The men. The feeling of being entirely devoid of pain and anguish. How far she'd fallen, yet how good it felt.

"Scourgify," she heard Molly say, directing her wand on the floor where she'd thrown up. Looking up, she saw the older woman was frowning, looking a combination of disappointed , sad, and concerned. "I think it's time you and I talked."

OOO

Walking through the hallways of the Ministry of Magic, even in the early morning hours when only the most dedicated of employees were straggling into work with their tea and biscuits in hand, still made Charlie feel like he was sticking out like a sore thumb. It was a feeling he'd gotten ever since he was younger, and he'd gotten to accompany his father to work.

These men and women were so serious, stuffy, formal. They were chained to their desks like prisoners. Even the aurors and unspeakable- there was a certain loss of freedom in working at the ministry, at any desk job. It was part of the reason that Charlie had run for the dragon reserves as soon as he could, despite his mother's melodramatic weeping.

Freedom was Romania.

Still, he felt awkward every time he walked in here, and this morning was no exception. As he stood on the elevator up to Kingsley's office, his jeans and jumper were a stark contrast to the short man in suit, tie, and dress robes standing next to him. It was apparent to his fellow rider as well, who was scrutinizing his choice of clothes and messy haircut with a look of disdain.

"Level one, Offices of the Minister of Magic," a smooth female voice announced.

With a sigh of relief, he stepped off the elevator, striding up to the secretary with determination in his step. "Can I get your name, please?" Kingsley's secretary asked. She was a brown haired girl, with a thin pink scarf wrapped around her neck and the lower part of her face.

He glanced down at the name plate on the desk. "Certainly, Miss Brown. Charlie Weasley. I have an appointment"

The girl smiled. "Should have known you were a Weasley. Went to school with your siblings. Go ahead in, Minister Shacklebolt is expecting you."

He nodded his thanks, stepping in to Kingsley's office. It was a neat and tidy room, comfortably furnished, with a picture of his two daughters and wife hanging on the wall, waving out at Charlie.

"Take a seat Charlie," the older man said, his back to him. He spun around in his rolling chair, placing two hot cups of coffee down on the table. "Figured you might need this after last night," he added with a wink.

"Thanks, mate," Charlie replied, taking a long sip of the coffee. "So you need my report on what happened yesterday?"

Kingsley grabbed a quill from his desk. "Yes, especially if you can tell me anything about what Alicia did during the fighting?"

Sipping his coffee, he related everything he'd seen the day before: the initial attack by Cormac McLaggan, ensnaring the death eater that was trying to kill Marcus, Alicia's overzealous capture of Cormac and her fit that Miles Bletchley had escaped the aurors' capture. At this, Kingsley shook his head. "I should have known… never should have allowed her to take part in all this…"

"Does this have something to do with her parents?" Charlie asked, curious.

The Minister's eyebrow shot up. "How do you know about that?"

Charlie hesitated, certain that he'd said too much, but Kingsley gave him a glare that could match one of his mother's death glares when one her children pinched a piece of pie before dinner. "Bill and I forced the story out of George, Angelina and the others… at our mother's insistence," he quickly added. "It was bloody frightening, Kingsley. Alicia got absolutely blasted last night at the hen party. She nearly attacked a man in her state last night, mistook him for Bletchley. Thanks Merlin she didn't have her wand."

Kingsley shook his head again, massaging his forehead, and poured himself another coffee. He offered Charlie another but he declined- his tolerance was for Fire Whiskey, not caffeine, and had he had another cup he would have been awake all night again. "Drinking herself to death, stalking Bletchley- yes stalking him," the minister emphasized. "You should see the notes she's taken on him. Brilliant, absolutely exceptional, with details to the level that I held all of my aurors when I was in charge. "

"That's a bad thing?" Charlie asked, though he was certain he already knew the answer.

"She's not moving on. There's no timetable on grief- your family knows that better than most. We all have learned that the hard way. But we're putting forth the effort to continue our lives. Alicia—it's like she's trapped, and it's going to destroy her. I never should have helped her cover the murders up. I fear it's done more harm than good." Kingsley looked up at Charlie, guilt painted clearly across his face.

Charlie shook his head, feeling rather awkward listening to the minister's venting. Sure, they'd worked together extensively during the war, but they were never what anyone would call close. Still, the man was obviously deeply upset by his role in Alicia's problems. "We all should have done more, mate… I mean Minister. No one knew. That group of friends… trying to break into that circle last night to get answers was trying to penetrate the wards around Hogwarts. There's nothing we could do before. We can only move forward."

Kingsley nodded, standing up. "You're right, Charlie. Perhaps I'll speak with your mother this afternoon, though lord knows if she'll have time with all the wedding preparations. It's tomorrow, correct?" Charlie nodded. "Well then, don't let me keep you. I'm sure your mother has plenty of work for you to do. Thank you for stopping by to give your report."

Kingsley paused. "And, if it's not too much trouble, can you keep an eye on her? I worry about Alicia like she was my own daughter. Just until the wedding is over and we figure out what to do next. I'd appreciate it."

"No problem Kingsley," Charlie replied. As he walked out the door, he couldn't help but wonder what he was getting himself into.

OOO

_This is what the interrogations at Azkaban must have been like,_ Alicia thought, staring at the ever-intimidating Molly Weasley. Feeling too weak to move from the bed, there was no chance of escape. Unable to meet the woman's eyes, she stared at the ceiling.

Still, Molly didn't speak, which confused Alicia. What was she waiting for? For her to break down and tell the story? No way in hell was she reliving the nightmare while she was awake. She relived it every night in her sleep.

Five minutes passed, then ten, and it felt as if time was dragging slower than usual.

Finally, Alicia spoke. "Shouldn't you be helping Cho and George get ready for the wedding?"

"The others are handling it quite well. I'll check over their work later," Molly replied firmly. "I'm much more concerned about you right now, anyway."

Silence again.

The older woman finally spoke, realizing Alicia would not initiate conversation. "Why didn't you come to us? We would have helped you. You wouldn't have had to go through it alone?"

Alicia snorted. "Oh yes, 'Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, please help me, I just murdered my family.'" She was being childish again. She knew very well that the Weasley's wouldn't have turned her away.

It was her own guilt that kept her away.

"You didn't kill your family. There is no way you could have fought that curse. Many much stronger have been unable to resist it, and you know it." She felt her cheeks turn pink, being called out so easily by Molly. "You have to stop lying to yourself Alicia. I want the real reason, otherwise we can't help you. Why didn't you tell anyone? Why are you slowly killing yourself?"

Somewhere deep inside her, Alicia felt a bubbling. For a moment she thought she was going to be sick again, but she realized it wasn't a physical illness. It was the guilt. "A suicide mission to track down the murderer, drinking yourself to death. Making your friends lie to keep your secret. Your whole life is ahead of you—"

"My whole life ENDED that night!" It burst out before Alicia had a chance to regain her stoic façade. Just like the day before speaking to Kingsley, the words flew out of her mouth uncontrollably, having built up for over a year.

"Everyone tells me I didn't kill my family, and I bloody wish they wouldn't, because I see it in their eyes. Everyone knows. I as good as killed them. And that's why I fought in the war, why I joined the Order of the Phoenix. I thought if I tried to avenge their deaths, I'd find some peace, some sort of reconciliation. And it didn't work. I'd wake up in the morning, and I'd look in the mirror and hate myself for existing. Drinking made the pain go away, until Katie and Angelina realized what was going on and they forced me to stop. I thought that hunting down Bletchley would make it stop, and Kingsley took that away from me yesterday. So you tell me, Molly, what I have left. Because the reason I woke up every morning was with the hope I would kill Bletchley, and now that's gone, and there isn't a reason to go on. So tell me what I have to live for!"

She was sobbing, felt the tears running down her face faster than she anticipated. Tears turned to sobs, and soon she was hyperventilating. There was a tightness around her waist- Molly had pulled her into a forceful, comforting hug.

"I don't ever want to hear those words out of your mouth again," she whispered, almost harshly, as she pulled away. "You survived, Alicia. This guilt, this utter disregard for your own life- this is what Miles Bletchley wanted, don't you see? You're letting him win. You need to fight, find a way to keep going and honor your family's memory."

Alicia sniffled loudly. "That's… that's what Kingsley said. But Mrs. Weasley, I don't know what to do. Everything here, it reminds me of them. I run, and I can't escape the memories…"

"We'll find something, Alicia Spinnet. None of us are abandoning you, never again."

It was almost like having her mother back.

The thought made Alicia cry even harder. And though Molly probably had a million better things to be doing to prepare for the wedding tomorrow, she stayed with her until she fell back asleep.

There were no dreams this time.

OOO

Charlie had apparated into the hallway outside Alicia's room hoping to resume his position before his mother noticed Bill and Victoire were on duty in his place. Inching towards the door, he saw his mother holding Alicia as she shouted her tirade and finally broke down in tears.

He couldn't help but replay Alicia's words in his head. _Everything here, it reminds me of them… _

Could leaving England help her? _Perhaps, _he thought, _there's something more I can do?_

It was a stretch- who knew if Alicia would even agree with it- but a plan was developing in his mind. Sneaking away before his mother could see him and scold him for eavesdropping instead of wedding planning, he headed for his room to try and work out the logistics.

* * *

**Oh this poor story! It's my neglected baby! I hope people are sticking with reading it, because I am still determined to finish it! Just finished my first year of graduate school, so I'm hoping this summer will allow more time for writing. Thank you to those who reviewed the last chapter: cinroc, Nelle 07, Bella Danvers, and Slythereine. Your words are greatly appreciated!**

**Feel free to leave a review on the way out! I take it all- the good, the bad, and the ugly! Best wishes- Jac**


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